RECORD 


OF  THE 


ONE  HUNDRED  AND  SIXTEENTH  REGIMENT 


OHIO  INFANTRY  VOLUNTEERS 


IN  THE 


WAR  OF  THE  REBELLION 


BY  THOS.  F.  WILDES, 
h 

Late  Lieutenant  Colonel  oi  the  Regiment,  and  Brevet  Brigadier  General 
U.  S.  Volunteers. 


The  world  is  cold  to  him  who  -pleads ; 
The  world  bows  low  to  knightly  deeds" 


SANDUSKY,  O. 

I.  F.  MACK  &  BRO.,  PRINTERS- 

1884. 


.  5 
W5 


$a  ttu  lUtatiw  m& 

OF  ITS  HEROIC  DEAD, 

AND  TO  THE 
SURVIVING  OFFICERS  ANDV>ENLIS(£ED  MEN 

OF  THE 
ONE  HUNDRED  AND  SIXTEENTH  REGIMENT, 

THIS  RECORD 
IS  HUMBLY  DEDICATED. 

The  Author. 


NOTE. 

General  Wildes  had,  as  he  thought,  the  manuscript  of 
this  work  ready  for  the  publishers,  and,  in  fact,  had  par 
tially  arranged  for  its  publication,  but  delayed  it  to  make 
some  necessary  corrections,  which  he  was  engaged  in  doing, 
when  he  was  so  suddenly  called  from  his  labors.  Some  of 
the  changes,  he  anticipated  making,  had  been  so  far  ad 
vanced,  as  to  enable  those,  into  \vhose  hands  the  result  of 
his  labors  was  entrusted,  to  carry  out  his  plans,  while  some 
additions  which  he  proposed  making  had  to  be  abandoned. 
Every  page  of  the  original  manuscript  bears  witness  to  the 
care  taken  by  the  author  to  avoid  mistakes,  while  the  vol 
uminous  correspondence  pertaining  to  this  work  shows 
how  earnestly  and  faithfully  he  labored  in  its  preparation. 
The  writer  knows  whereof  he  speaks  when  he  says  the 
men  of  the  n6th  had  no  truer  friend  than  the  author  of 
this  work.  Many  times  subsequent  to  his  leaving  the  regi 
ment,  did  he  express  himself  in  no  measured  terms  as  to 
the  bravery,  efficiency  and  soldierly  bearing  of  the  regi 
ment,  and  said  it  was  an  honor  for  any  man  to  be  able  to 
say,  "I  belonged  to  the  n6th." 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 


In  entering  upon  the  work  of  writing  the  History  of  the 
One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Regiment,  I  am  forced  to  con 
fess  that  I  have  considerable  faith  in  what  Oliver  Wendell 
Holmes  once  said:  "I  would  not  give  a  rig  for  a  mar, 
every  one  of  whose  geese  is  not  better  than  any  other 
man's  swans."  I  always  felt  some  such  partiality  as  this 
sentiment  expresses,  for  the  regiment,  and  while  I  shall 
strive  to  make  its  history  appear  as  it  really  is,  it  is  quite 
possible  that  my  own  feelings  may  color  some  parts  of  it 
too  highly.  Shortly  after  the  appearance  of  the  history  of 
the  34th  Massachusetts  regiment,  General  Lincoln,  who 
wrote  it,  was  asked  "if  there  was  any  other  regiment  be 
sides  the  34th  Massachusetts  in  the  service."  Perhaps  the 
same  criticism  may  be  made  of  the  history  of  the  n6th, 
but,  if  so,  it  shall  be  regarded  as  a  compliment,  for  every 
thing  stated  in  these  pages  will  be  verified  by  reports, 
records  and  data,  concerning  the  accuracy  of  which  there 
can  be  no  question.  I  have  depended  upon  my  recollection, 
or  impressions,  for  very  little,  but  have  relied  upon  official 
records  and  diaries,  letters  and  memoranda  written  at  the 
time  by  myself  and  others.  Through  the  kindness  of  the 
Adjutant  General  of  the  War  Department,  the  Adjutant 
General  of  Ohio,  and  Ex-President  Hon.  R.  B.  Hayes,  I 
have  been  furnished  with  copies  of  the  reports  of  all  the 


vin  AUTHOR  s  PRP:FACE. 

battles  in  which  the  regiment  was  engaged.  From  the 
same  and  other  sources,  I  have  received  many  other  valu 
able  records,  such  as  official  lists  of  casualties,  burial  places 
of  those  dying  in  rebel  prisons  and  elsewhere,  promotions  of 
officers,  the  names  of  enlisted  men  awarded  "  Medals  of 
Honor,"  and  promoted  for  special  good  conduct.  I  am 
greatly  indebted  for  valuable  assistance  and  information  to 
Colonel  Washburn;  Majors  Morris,  Hull  and  Karr;  Cap 
tains  Mann,  Henthorn,  Chancy,  Welch,  Frame,  Knowles 
and  Mosely;  Lieutenants  Cline,  Walker,  Heald,  Sibley, 
Knight  and  Myers;  Sergeants  King,  Hoyt,  Drake  and 
Bartley;  Corporals  Campbell  and  Thompson,  and  to  a 
great  number  of  private  soldiers,  notably  to  Charles  L. 
Eberle,  of  C,  for  a  valuable  diary  covering  nearly  the 
whole  term  of  three  years;  Leroy  D.  Brown,  of  H,  for  a 
paper  prepared  by  him  on  "Sheridan  in  the  Shenandoah 
Valley";  Edward  H.  Bradley,  of  G,  for  a  correct  list  of  G, 
the  rolls  of  which  were  very  imperfect;  John  W.  Reusser, 
of  E,  and  Jacob  L.  Gregg,  of  H.  As  will  be  seen,  I  have 
quoted  freely  from  official  reports  and  records,  giving  some 
of  the  most  important  in  full,  and  made  free  use  of  diaries, 
memoranda  and  letters.  Fortunately  all  my  own  letters 
written  during  the  war  were  preserved  by  my  wife.  A 
very  serious  obstacle  in  the  way  of  accuracy  was  met  in 
the  imperfect  condition  in  which  I  found  the  rolls  in  the 
Adjutant  General's  office  at  Columbus.  This  involved  a 
great  deal  of  correspondence,  and  finally  a  resort  to  the 
Adjutant  General  of  the  War  Department.  There  may 
yet  remain  some  errors  and  omissions  in  the  record  of  en 
listed  men,  but  I  trust  not  many. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


INTRODUCTORY. 


In  letters  to  the  undersigned,  received  many  months 
ago,  General  Wildes  thus  writes:  "I  am  now  engaged  in 
writing  the  history  of  my  own  regiment,  the  n6th  Ohio,  of 
our  own  gallant  first  brigade,  and  intend  making  it  suffi 
ciently  cosmopolitan  to  include  a  general  history  of  our  own 
campaign  and  a  particular  history  of  the  first  brigade,  our 
own  military  family.  If  I  could  send  you  enough  proof 
matter,  or  give  you  a  general  enough  idea  of  it  in  any  other 
way,  I  would  ask  you  to  write  an  introduction.  The  n6th 
Ohio  and  the  34th  Massachusetts  served  together  in  the 
same  brigade  in  many  of  the  decisive  battles  of  the  war, 
and  were  side  by  side  during  the  whole  of  the  last  year.  I 
can  see  a  fitness  in  you  of  Massachusetts  doing  this  for  us 
of  Ohio.  You  must  see  at  once  how  much  pleasure  it 
would  give  our  whole  regiment  to  see  the  book  introduced 
by  one  of  their  old  comrades  of  the  gallant  34th  Massachu 
setts."  What  was  thus  lightly  undertaken  then,  was  ren 
dered  a  duty  when  information  was  afterwards  received 
that  the  warm  friend  and  gallant  officer  had  been  removed 
from  earth's  labors,  his  task  but  partially  completed.  "  It  is 
an  awful  big  job,"  continues  the  General,  uto  do  the  work 
in  a  way  that  will  not  class  it  with  the  hundreds  of  useless, 
utterly  silly,  bombastes  furioso  books  issued  and  called  his- 


X  INTRODUCTORY. 

tories  of  regiments.  But  with  all  the  battle  reports  in  the 
Valley  in  1864  and  around  Richmond,  added  to  Pond's  and 
Humphrey's  works,  I  think  I  ought  to  get  some  things 
right.  You  see  I  will  have  many  advantages  over  you." 

In  entering  upon  his  work,  General  Wildes  aimed  to 
make  it  a  history  in  fact ;  one  wherein  should  be  given  the 
minute  incidents  of  interest  to  each  man,  as  well  as  the 
more  general  matter  in  which  the  regiment  as  a  whole  was 
concerned.  He  knew,  if  in  no  other  way,  by  correspond 
ence  with  those  who  with  more  or  less  success  had  been 
engaged  in  similar  works,  how  almost  entirely  he  must  rely 
upon  himself;  how  little  aid  he  would  receive  from  even 
those  of  his  old  associates  from  whom  he  might  expect  as 
sistance.  It  is  fortunate  that  his  work  has  been  delayed  to 
this  day,  because  thereby  he  has  had  access  to  sources 
of  information  denied  to  others  who  preceded  him.  In 
another  respect  he  has  been  fortunate  that  almost  to  the 
last  he  was  with  his  command,  actively  engaged  in  its  or 
ganization,  going  with  it  into  its  first  rendezvous,  being  its 
first  commissioned  field  officer  (having  been  appointed  its 
Lieutenant  Colonel  in  August,  1862)  being  for  a  long  time 
from  various  causes,  its  actual  commander,  and  remaining 
with  it  until  February,  1865,  when  he  received  promotion 
to  the  full  Colonelcy  of  the  i86th,  a  new  regiment  of  Ohio 
infantry.  So  that  he  had  that  full  knowledge  of  the  military 
life  of  his  regiment  which  intimate  association  only  could 
give.  He  is  said  to  have  had  no  previous  military  training. 
Indeed,  the  condition  of  himself,  his  brother  officers  and  his 
men  can  only  be  appreciated  by  his  own  amusing  de 
scription  of  it  when  marching  orders  were  first  received. 


INTRODUCTORY.  XI 

"  With  little  preliminary  drill,  not  even  once  having  been  in 
line  as  a  regiment,  the  men  armed  with  old  Belgian  rifles, 
rusty  and  in  demoralized  condition  generally,  without  an 
adjutant,  and  only  one  field  officer;  scarcely  an  officer  hav 
ing  a  sword  or  even  a  shoulder  strap,  and  none  with  an 
uniform,  no  one  knowing  how  to  form  a  battalion,  how  to 
move  it  after  it  was  formed,  what  orders  to  give  or  how 
to  give  them,"  they  suddenly  "  were  directed  to  hasten  to 
Parkersburg."  Loyal  men  that  they  were,  they  rose  to 
the  emergency  like  good  soldiers,  and  "concluded  to  let 
Captain  Teters  go  ahead  and  the  rest  follow  as  best  they 
could."  Within  an  hour  they  were  on  their  way.  Here 
going  into  camp,  uthe  whole  regiment  was  busy  as  a 
hive  in  learning  the  art  of  war."  In  one  branch,  at  least, 
they  were  apt  scholars,  as  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  upon  a 
march  which  soon  followed  they  could  burn  "wet  rails" 
and  have  for  breakfast  "roast  pig  and  turkey,"  and  "on 
reaching  Buckhannon  were  followed  by  a  train  of  twenty- 
seven  loaded  wagons  and  a  cloud  of  citizens  loaded  with 
complaints  against  us  for  pressing  horses,  etc.,  into  service," 
drawing  from  General  Milroy  the  remark  that  from  what 
he  knew  of  them  "they  could  take  care  of  themselves." 
Of  all  the  scoutings  and  skirmishes;  the  hurried  marches 
up,  and  sometimes  the  more  hurried  marches  down,  the 
Valley  of  the  Shenandoah;  of  the  battle  of  Piedmont,  where 
"every  color  bearer  and  every  man  of  the  color  guard  was 
wounded";  of  that  before  Lynchburg,  where  its  "colors 
were  the  only  ones  of  the  whole  army  that  waved  over  the 
enemy's  works";  of  that  at  Opequan,  where  "Early  was 
sent  whirling  thro'  Winchester";  of  that  at  Fisher's  Hill, 


Xll  INTRODUCTORY. 

where  the  n6th  "received  the  fire  of  a  battery  when  only 
100  yards  from  it,  and  captured  it  in  the  very  smoke  of  its 
discharge";  of  Cedar  Creek,  (where  now  by  the  death  of 
Colonel  Wells,  Colonel  Wildes  succeeded  to  the  command 
of  the  brigade)  "where  the  army  that  had  swept  in  tri 
umph  at  dawn,  was  a  mass  of  fugitives  at  night,"  General 
Wildes  is  enabled  from  his  active  participation  to  give  full 
and  vivid  descriptions.  His  words  burn  with  the  pride  he 
feels  in  the  splendid  record  his  men  had  made.  Having  no 
fear  of  the  "rules  and  regulations,"  he  expresses  with  great 
plainness  of  language  the  contempt  in  which  he,  in  common 
with  others,  held  "  General  Sigel  and  the  crowd  of  foreign 
adventurers"  who  surrounded  that  officer  during  his  short 
command;  for  whom,  as  he  writes,  "not  an  officer  or  a 
man  retained  a  spark  of  respect  or  confidence."  And  with 
equal  directness  and  justice  he  comments  upon  the  "blun 
dering  and  blind  pursuit  of  Early  by  Wright  from  Washing 
ton  and  Hunter  from  Harper's  Ferry,  over  which  the  evil 
genius  of  Halleck  hovered,  making  it  the  worst  handled 
and  most  fruitless  campaign  of  the  war."  The  movement 
to  the  James  in  response  to  General  Grant's  call  for  the 
"best  division  in  the  Army  of  West  Virginia,"  to  which  the 
1 1 6th  belonged,  and  the  life  at  the  winter  cantonment  there 
is  passed  over  rapidly.  Here  Colonel  Wildes  received 
his  well-earned  promotion  and  left  his  old  command.  He 
shows,  however,  his  love  for  his  old  boys  in  the  glowing 
language,  in  which  he  describes  their  after  service;  their 
gallant  charge  on  Fort  Gregg,  and  hand-to-hand  struggle 
for  its  possession;  their  long  and  rapid  marches  to  head  off 
Lee  in  his  retreat,  spoken  of  in  General  Gibbon's  order 


INTRODUCTORY.  Xlll 

from  "behind  Richmond"  as  being  "superior  to  anything 
of  the  kind  heretofore  witnessed,"  and  leading  Crook,  the 
loved  leader  of  their  Valley  campaign,  to  exclaim  that 
"there  was  little  use  for  his  cavalry  while  this  division  was 
present";  their  triumphal  entry  into  Richmond,  and  inglo 
rious  ease  in  quiet  encampment  there,  followed  soon  after 
by  their  muster  out  of  service,  and  welcome  home.  Here 
ends  the  narrative  of  the  service  of  the  regiment.  Some 
chapters  follow  containing  a  sketch  of  prison  life,  notice  of 
deceased  officers,  the  death  roll  and  roster,  the  whole 
closed  by  an  eulogy  of  the  General  from  the  pen  of  an  old 
friend.  Too  much  cannot  be  said  in  praise  of  the  manner 
in  which  the  work  is  done.  Sub-divided  into  chapters,  each 
is  occupied  by  descriptions  of  particular  campaign  or  battle, 
and  what  is  of  especial  value  is  the  list  of  killed,  and 
wounded  (in  which  is  given  the  name  and  nature  of  the 
wound)  and  of  the  missing.  One  word  of  a  personal  na 
ture  before  conclusion.  In  letters,  hurriedly  written  at  the 
time,  after  only  a  short  observation  of  the  troops  brigaded 
with  the  34th  Massachusetts,  I  thus  wrote:  "Except  the 
34th  Massachusetts,  these  troops  are  neither  drilled  nor  dis 
ciplined,  this,  however,  from  no  fault  of  their  own.  The 
rank  and  file  of  the  commands  were  captured  at  Milroy's 
defeat  last  summer.  They  were  paroled  soon  after,  and 
have  been  scattered  in  small  squads  along  the  B.  &  O.  Rail 
road  as  picket  guard.  The  officers,  however,  were  retained 
as  prisoners,  and  many  are  in  fact  still  in  rebel  hands.  It 
looks  as  if  we  were  to  suffer  from  the  connection."  Almost 
twenty  years  later,  extracts  from  these  letters,  without  re 
vision,  were  taken  to  make  the  history  of  that  body,  and  a 


XIV  INTRODUCTORY. 

copy  sent  to  General  Wildes.  He,  perhaps  slightly  dis 
turbed  by  the  apparent  depreciation  of  his  own  command, 
now  writes.  uThe  fact  is,  the  34th  then  regarded  itself  as 
badly  mismated  with  us.  True  enough,  they  had  per 
formed  garrison  and  patrol  duty  in  Washington  from  their 
enlistment  up  to  '63.  It  had  a  well  trained  brass  band  and 
was  in  every  way  prepared  for  serenades,  parades  and  re 
views,  while  we  poor  fellows,  with  constant  marching,  scout 
ing  and  picketing,  to  say  nothing  of  now  and  then  a  little 
fighting,  would  make  a  sad  display  in  either  of  these  three 
ornamental  positions.  But  before  we  separated  in  Rich 
mond,  the  34th  felt  as  much  pride  in  the  history  the  first 
brigade  had  made  for  itself  as  was  felt  by  any  regiment  in 
it.  It  was  not  then  ashamed  of  the  connection  formed  four 
teen  months  before,  nor  was  there  an  officer  or  man  in  it 
who  felt  he  had  suffered  by  the  connection."  To  all  of 
which  by  General  Wildes,  the  present  writer  cheerfully 
assents,  and  without  at  all  qualifying  the  statements  then 
made,  rejoices  in  the  present  opportunity  of  stating  that  the 
n6th  Ohio,  if  not  then  thought  to  bear  comparison  with 
the  34th  Massachusetts  in  "drill"  and  discipline,"  and  if,  as 
General  Wildes  writes,  "it  could  claim  to  have  no  orna 
ments,"  did  on  actual  trial,  prove  to  have  what  was  of  far 
greater  value,  men  of  willing  hands  and  fearless  hearts,  and 
gallant  souls,  who  in  all  the  essential  qualities  of  a  true  sol 
dier  were  the  peers  of  the  noblest  in  the  service. 

WM.  S.  LINCOLN, 

Late  Colonel  34th  Massachusetts  Infantry,  and 
Brevet  Brigadier  General  U.  S.  Volunteers. 


THOMAS  F.  WILDES, 

THE  writer  of  the  following  regimental  history,  was  born  at 
Racine,  Canada  West,  on  the  first  day  of  June,  1834.  He 
died  at  his  home  in  Akron,  Ohio,  Wednesday,  March  28, 
1883,  and  was  therefore  unable  to  see  his  work  —  to  him 
purely  a  labor  of  love  —  in  print.  His  modesty  respecting 
his  own  services  as  a  Union  soldier  is  so  marked  in  what  he 
has  here  written,  as  in  itself  to  call  for  a  brief  sketch  of  his 
career.  The  general  worth  of  the  man  also  so  emphasizes 
this  demand  that  the  volume  would  be  incomplete  without 
some  account  of  its  deceased  author.  As  the  tribute,  there 
fore,  of  a  "comrade"  who  knew  General  Wildes  as  a  man, 
soldier,  lawyer,  1  offer  this,  imperfect  as  it  must  be,  in  the 
limited  space  at  my  disposal  —  to  be  published  as  a  preface 
to  the  book  which  he  has  left  —  a  gift  of  his  heart  and 
brain  to  the  members  of  the  regiment  yet  surviving,  and  re 
cord,  so  far  as  it  can  be  made,  of  the  honored  dead  who 
went  with  it  to  the  field,  no  more  to  return. 

General  Wildes  was  of  pure  Irish  blood.  His  grand 
father  was  an  ardent  revolutionist,  who  suffered  loss  of 
property  and  home  for  his  love  of  liberty.  The  General's 
parents  came  to  Portage  County,  Ohio,  in  1839.  ^e  a^ 
once  sought  the  advantages  of  liberal  education,  and  after 
great  effort  spent  two  years  at  Wittenberg  College,  Spring 
field,  Ohio.  He  was  also  two  years — 1859-60 — superin 
tendent  of  the  graded  schools  in  Wooster.  Hence,  while 
he  did  not  complete  a  collegiate  course,  he  reached  a  posi 
tion  in  scholarship  which  was  highly  respectable  in  itself, 


XVI  THOMAS    F.    WILDES. 

and  was  of  great  aid  to  him  in  the  further  work  of  his  life. 
During  his  struggle  for  educational  training,  he  became  ac 
quainted  with  Miss  Eliza  M.  Robinson,  a  refined  and  intel 
lectual  lady,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  1860,  and  who 
survives  to  mourn  in  his  death  a  loss  irreparable. 

General  Wildes'  public  life  began  with  his  purchase  of 
that  always  able  and  influential  paper,  the  Athens,  Ohio, 
Messenger,  in  1861.  He  at  once  assumed  editorial  charge, 
and  showed  himself  eminently  able  and  fit  for  the  position. 
Hardly  was  he  established  in  this  new  field  when  the  out 
break  of  treason  against  the  Union  —  of  slavery  against 
freedom  —  occurred.  An  ardent  Republican,  he  became  of 
necessity  an  equally  ardent  advocate  of  liberty  and  Union. 
And  it  was  not  long  until  his  hot  Irish  blood  drove  him 
from  the  pen  to  the  sword  in  defending  American  freedom, 
and  the  Union,  which  is  its  safeguard,  against  the  treason 
and  slavery  he  so  thoroughly  understood  and  hated.  Hence 
August,  1862,  found  him  in  military  service,  active  and  en 
ergetic,  as  was  his  wont.  There  I  first  saw  him.  He  was 
made  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the  u6th  Ohio  Infantry. 

"With  this  command  he  served  in  Virginia  at  Moore- 
"  field,  Romney,  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley  under  Sigel,  par 
ticipating  in  the  battles  of  Piedmont,  Snicker's  Gap,  Ber- 
"  ryville,  Opequan,  Fisher's  Hill  and  Cedar  Creek.  During 
"all  this  time  Colonel  Wildes  was  with  his  regiment  in 
"every  march,  skirmish  and  battle  in  which  it  was  en- 
"  gaged.  At  the  battle  of  Piedmont,  by  concussion  from 
"a  shell,  and  at  Winchester  he  was  seriously  hurt  by  being 
"thrown  from  a  horse.  During  a  portion  of  the  Shenan- 
"doah  campaign,  including  the  battle  of  Cedar  Creek,  and 
"other  minor  engagements,  he  commanded  the  First  Bri- 
"gade,  First  Division  of  the  Army  of  West  Virginia.  He 
"retained  this  command  until  February,  1865,  when  he  was 
"promoted  to  Colonel  of  the  i86th  Ohio.  With  this  regi- 


THOMAS    F.    WILDKS.  XVH 

ament  he  went  to  Nashville,  and  af:eward  to  Cleveland, 
"Tennessee,  where  he  received  his  commission  as  Brevet 
"Brigadier  General  for  gallant  conclact  at  Cedar  Creek, 
"Virginia,  October  19,  1864,  to  date  from  March  n,  1865. 
"  He  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  a  brigade  at  Chat- 
"tanooga,  which  he  retained  until  his  muster  out  in  Sep- 
"tember,  1865." — Ohio  in  the  War.  V.  L  951. 

As  a  soldier,  General  Wildes  was  able,  brave,  energetic, 
active,  always  ready  and  willing  for  duty.  His  patriotism 
never  cooled.  War  meant  to  him  the  finding  and  hurting 
of  the  enemy.  He  believed  thoroughly  in  crushing  treason 
by  force,  and  at  all  times  was  ready  to  act  upon  that  con 
viction.  No  one  entered  the  great  conflict  through  which 
he  passed,  more  fully  devoted  to  the  cause  which  called 
those  who  loved  the  Union  and  human  liberty  to  the  field 
of  battle,  than  himself.  His  tongue,  pen,  sword,  the  man  in 
all  his  powers,  was  for  the  time  wholly  given  to  that  cause. 

In  1866  General  Wildes  graduated  at  the  Cincinnati 
Law  School.  He  at  once  entered  upon  the  practice  of  law 
at  Athens,  Ohio,  with  Judge  Brown,  an  old  and  distin 
guished  member  of  the  bar  of  that  city.  From  there  he  re 
moved  to  Akron,  where  he  had  made  a  high  position  for 
himself  as  a  man  and  as  a  lawyer  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
With  his  powers  of  application  and  the  abilities  which  he 
always  manifested,  that  he  would  have  made  his  mark 
among  able  men,  had  another  decade  of  life  been  granted 
him,  none  doubt,  I  think,  who  knew  the  man.  Cut  off  in 
the  prime  of  his  strength,  we  can  only  sorrow  as  we  think 
of  his  loss  to  friends  and  to  the  community  in  which  he  was 
making  the  way  to  distinction.  In  temper  he  was  warm 
and  impulsive,  a  fast  friend,  and  open,  active  opponent. 
The  man  he  did  not  like  was  quite  sure  to  find  it  out. 
Plain,  sometimes  severe,  in  speech,  it  was  impossible  that 
his  energetic  life  should  not  at  times  create  personal  oppo- 


Xviii  THOMAS    F.    WILDES. 

sition  and  resentments.  And  so,  in  fact,  in  some  instances 
it  did.  Yet  when  the  heat  cooled  and  the  real  disposition 
of  the  man  was  felt,  I  think  in  most  cases  ill-feeling  was  re 
moved,  and  often  warm  friendship  took  its  place.  General 
Wildes  was  possessed  of  a  vigorous  intellect,  which  he  could 
make  felt  with  tongue  and  pen.  To  me  it  seemed  natural 
for  him  to  express  himself  in  written  discourse.  But  in  the 
one  way  or  the  other,  he  was  clear,  forcible,  convincing, 
often  able.  His  work  was  always  with  a  definite  purpose, 
which  came  clearly  out,  and  for  which  he  seemed  to  care 
more  than  for  mere  graces  of  style.  Terse  force  was  his 
characteristic  as  a  speaker  and  writer.  He  had  something 
to  say,  and  he  said  it  in  a  way  that  "  plain  people "  never 
failed  to  understand.  The  living  members  of  "the  old 
n6th,"  as  he  used  proudly  to  call  our  regiment,  will  join 
me,  I  know,  in  expression  of  common  sorrow  at  the  loss  of 
our  old  commander,  so  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  cut  down 
by  death. 

"  A  flash  of  the  lightning,  a  break  of  the  wave, 
Man  passeth  from  life  to  his  rest  in  the  grave." 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE. 

Preliminaries  —  Esprit  de  Corps  of  The  Regiment  — 
Recruiting — Military  Committees  —  Patriotism  of 
The  People  of  The  District  —  Remembrance  of  The 
Dead—  John  Frame  and  Elmer  Armstrong-  Hon. 
John  R.  Morris  and  Others- — Woman's  Work  for 
The  Soldiers.  , i 

CHAPTER  II. 

The  Organization  —  To  the  Rescue  of  Parkersburg, 
Then  of  Gallipolis-  Mustered  into  The  U.  S.  Ser 
vice —  Into  West  Virginia  —  Our  First  Fight — We 
Defeat  General  Jones  and  4,000  Cavalry  at  Moore- 
field-  -General  Milroy's  Congratulations.  .  13 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  March  to  Romney  —  The  Winter  at  Romney — A 
Forage  Train  Under  Captain  Brown   Captured  — 
Paroles—  A  Bad  State  of  Feeling  —  Patriotic  Action 
of  The  Regiment — March  to  Winchester.       .          .     40 

CHAPTER  IV. 

At  Winchester — A  New  Brigade  Commander  -Scouts 
and  Marches  —  Death  of  Dr.  Gilkey  —  Battle  of 


XX  CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

Winchester,  June  i2th,  iv3th  and  i4th,  and  Bunker 
Hill,  June  1 3th -The  Retreat  and  Battle  in  The 
Night  —  Escape  of  Milroy's  Army  from  Lee- 
Over  in  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland  List  of 
Killed,  Wounded  and  Prisoners-  Back  to  Martins- 
burg-— A  Word  in  Defense  of  General  Milroy.  .  50 

CHAPTER  V. 

The    Fall    and   Winter    at   Martinsburg — Along    The 
B.  &  O.  R.  R.       Preparing   for   the   Campaign   of 
1864-    Regiment    Ordered    to    Harper's    Ferry  — 
Brigaded  Anew-    General  Sigel  takes  Command  — 
Up  The  Valley       A  Sham'  Battle-  Battle  of  New 
Market  —  Retreat.  .          .          .          .          .          .72 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Hunter  Relieves  Sigei       His  Order  on  Assuming  Com 
mand —  Short   of    Rations   for    the    First    Time  — 
Battle  of  Piedmont—  Bravery  of  The  Regiment  — 
List   of   Casualties       One  or   Two  Amusing   Inci 
dents,  and  Some  not  so  Amusing,  Connected  with 
The  Battle       On  to  Staunton.          .          .          .          .89 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Destruction  of  Property  at  Staunton  —  On  The  Move, 
Still  Going  South  —  Return  to  Staunton  to  Meet  a 
Supply  Train  —  Hard  Marching  to  Overtake  The 
Army — To  Lexington — Destruction  of  Rebel  Prop 
erty  and  of  Washington  College — And  on  we  go — 
Regular  Army  Engineering  Superseded  by  West 
ern  Ideas— -Lynchburg  —  Battle  of  Lynchburg- 


CONTENTS.  XXI 

PAGE. 

A  Gallant  Charge      Reports- — Retreat  to  Gauley 
Bridge — At  Parkersburg — At  Martinsburg  again.   101 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Early  in  The  Valley — His  Advance  into  Maryland  and 
upon  Washington  —  March  to  Harper's  Ferry  — 
To  Hillsboro  —  Snicker's  Gap  —  Battle  of  Snicker's 
Ferry  —  Wounding  of  Colonel  Washburn  —  Hard 
Fight  of  The  Regiment  on  The  Right  —  Brave 
Conduct  of  Officers  and  Men  —  List  of  Casualties.  126 

CHAPTER  IX. 

To  Winchester  —  Battle  of  Kerntown  —  List  of  Casu 
alties —  Retreat — Report  of  General  Crook  —  At 
Harper's  Ferry  Again  —  A  Hot,  Hard  March — At 
Monocacy  Junction  — Back  to  Bolivar  Heights  — 
Arrival  of  General  Sheridan,  6th  and  ipth  Corps, 
and  Torbert's  Cavalry- — Dawn  of  A  New  Era  in 
The  Valley.  .  .  .  .  .  1  .  .  140 

CHAPTER  X. 

Sheridan  in  Command  —  For  The  First  Time  We  Are 
Part  of  An  Army  Equal  in  Numbers  to  The  Op 
posing  Enemy — March  to  Cedar  Creek — Skirmish 
on  Three  Top  —  March  Back  again  —  Battle  of 
Halltown,  August  26th  —  List  of  Casualties  —  Bat 
tle  of  Berry  ville,  September  3d — List  of  Casualties.  150 

CHAPTER  XI. 

An   Ambulance   Train   Captured   and    Re-captured  — 
Action  Taken  by  The  Officers  on  Learning  of  The 


XX11  CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 


Death  of  Captain  Keyes  —  Another  Accident  in 
the  Regiment  —  Sheridan's  Opportunity— -Getting 
Ready  for  A  Fight — -Battle  of  Opequan,  September 
i pth  —  Another  Gallant  Charge- — -List  of  Casual 
ties  - — A  Major's  Report  of  Our  Charge.  ..  .165 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Still  Going  Forward  —  Enemy  at  Fisher's  Hill  —  Bat 
tle  of  Fisher's  Hill  — Another  Charge  —  List  of 
Casualties  —  Extracts  from  Reports  of  Colonel 
Wells,  Generals  Sheridan  and  Crook  —  Also  Gen 
eral  Early — Tardy  Justice  Done  to  Captain  Varley 
of  Company  E—  March  to  Harrisonburg  —  Death 
of  Lieutenant  Meigs — -Buildings  Ordered  Burned 

—  Order  Revoked  as  to  Dayton.    .         .         .          .180 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

March  Back  to  Cedar  Creek— Destruction  in  The  Val 
ley —  Election  Day  at  Cedar  Creek  —  Battle  of 
Stickney  Farm  —  Death  of  Colonel  Wells  —  List  of 
Casualties — Colonel  Wildes  in  Command  of  the  Bri 
gade —  A  Reconnoisance  —  Battle  of  Cedar  Creek, 
October  ipth  —  Defeat  of  The  Morning  —  Sheri 
dan's  Arrival  —  We  "Go  for  Them" — A  Glorious 
Victory — List  of  Casualties  —  Reports  of  Colonel 
Wildes  and  General  Crook — A  Rest — Promotions 
-At  Opequan  Crossing  —  Thanksgiving  Turkeys 

—  Ordered  to  The  Army  of  The  James.  .          .   193 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Good-bye  Shenandoah  Valley  —  On  the  Cars  to  Wash 
ington —  Ride  on  the  Water — Arrival  at  Deep 


CONTENTS.  XX111 

PAfiE. 

Bottom  — Promotions — -Drilling  and  Inspections  — 
High  Standing  of  the  Regiment  in  the  24th  Corps 

—  Rebel   Rams  and  Gunboats  Create  An  Excite 
ment —  More  Promotions.        .          .*         .          .          -225 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Off   for    Petersburg  —  Continuous    Hard   Marching  — 
Hatcher's  Run  —  Skirmishing — List  of  Casualties 

—  A  Narrow  Escape  for  Captain  Mann  and  Forty 
Men  —  Fort  Gregg  Carried  by  Assault  —  Some  In 
cidents   Connected  with  The  Charge- — Report   of 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Potter  —  Casualties  of  The  Reg 
iment —  After  Lee  —  Farmville  and  Rice's  Station 

List   of   Casualties — A   Good    Day's    March  — 
Lee's  Retreat  Cut  Off — Appomattox  —  The  White 
Flags  —  Surrender  —  General  Gibbon's  Order.         .   235 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

March  to  Lynchburg  —  Back  to  Richmond — -Tri 
umphal  Entry  of  The  Rebel  Capital  —  Preparing  to 
go  Home — Mustered  Out- — Transfers  to  the  62d 
Ohio  Regiment — Off  for  Home  —  Home.  .  .  260 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Prison  Life  —  The  Cruelty  of  Rebels  to  Prisoners  — 
Barbarities  of   Prison  Keepers  —  The  Experiences 
of  Several  of  our  Officers  and  Men  —  The  Death 
Roll.      .  '     .  .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .272 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Sketches  of  Deceased  Officers  —  Captain  F.  H.  Arcke- 
noe  —  Captain  E.  Keyes  —  Lieutenant  Robert  Wil- 


XXIV  CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

son  —  Lieutenant  Levi  Lupton  —  Surgeon  Thomas 
J.  Shannon  —  Captain  Alexander  Cochran  —  Cap 
tain  Edward  Fuller  —  Captain  William  Myers  — 
Surgeon  Walter  R.  Gilkey  —  Hospital  Steward 
James  T.  Moran  —  Lieutenant  M.  A.  Ellis  —  Major 
John  Hull.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  305 

ROSTER  OF  THE  REGIMENT — 

Field  and  Staff,  .         .         .  .  .  •  •  .    •  •  322 

Company  A,  .  323 

Company  B,  .         ,          .  .  .  .  .327 

Company  C,  .          .  •        .  .  .  .  .  331 

Company  D,  ...  .  .  .  .  336 

Company  E,  .    ;      .          .  .  .  .  .  340 

Company  F,  ~  .        ..          .  .  ..  '  .-  .  344 

Company  G,  .          .          .  .  .  .-  349 

Company  H,  .  353 

Company  I,  .          .          .  ....  .  358 

Company  K,  .         .         .  .  .  .  .  362 


CHAPTER  I. 

PRELIMINARIES ESPRIT    DE   CORPS   OF  THE   REGIMENT RE 
CRUITING MILITARY  COMMITTEES PATRIOTISM  OF  THE 

PEOPLE   OF  THE  DISTRICT REMEMBRANCE  OF  THE  DEAD 

—JOHN    FRAME  AND   ELMER  ARMSTRONG HON.  JAMES   R. 


The  One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Ohio  Regiment  made 
a  history  during  the  war  of  the  rebellion  worthy  of  preser 
vation,  and  I  have  long  felt  that  some  one  ought  to  under 
take  the  task  of  writing  it  out  for  publication.  I  appreciate 
that  the  history  of  the  regiment  ought  to  be  fair  and  impar 
tial  to  be  of  any  value  to  any  one,  and  so  start  out  with  the 
purpose  to  make  it  as  nearly  so  as  possible.  If  ever  such  a 
history  is  to  be  written,  it  ought  to  be  possible  to  write  it 
now-  eighteen  years  after  its  return  from  the  war. 

From  the  outset  of  its  services,  the  n6th  had  faith  in 
itself.  Its  officers  and  men  had  faith  in  each  other,  and  the 
people  of  the  group  of  counties  from  which  it  was  recruited 
had  faith  in  it,  and  have  always  felt  a  pride  in  its  career. 
But  unless  the  permanency  of  history  be  soon  given  to  its 
services,  there  will  be  little  left  beside  tradition,  camp  stories, 
and  the  fireside  recollections  of  its  few  survivors.  At  first 
it  would  seem  an  easy  task  to  write  its  history,  but  when  it 
is  considered  that  a  regiment  in  active  service  forms  an  in 
tegral  part  of  an  army,  and  perhaps  of  many  armies,  and 
that  to  give  a  comprehensive  history  of  a  regiment  is  neces 
sary  to  give  much  of  the  history  of  the  armies  with  which 
it  served,  a  different  estimate  of  the  task  will  soon  be  formed. 
When  the  war-worn  regiments  of  the  Union  Army  returned 
from  the  field  in  1865,  there  was  a  feeling  among  the  soldiers 
and  their  friends  that  it  would  be  a  pleasing  luxury  to  for- 


2  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

get  the  long  story  of  their  perils  and  sufferings.  The  blessed 
benediction  of  peace  shut  out  forever  the  anxieties  of  war, 
and  in  a  contest  in  which  whole  armies  had  done  so  nobly, 
the  achievements  of  particular  regiments  did  not  seem,  either 
to  the  soldiers  or  to  their  friends,  to  demand  special  mention 
or  record. 

But  as  the  years  went  by,  the  vast  importance  of  the  re 
sults  attained  by  the  war  began  to  grow  more  and  more  ap 
parent.  Then  there  arose  a  new  interest  in  the  minor  actors 
in  the  struggle.  Time  had  healed  the  wounds  which  the 
close  of  hostilities  had  left  bleeding,  and  the  lengthening 
vista  of  years  had  exalted  the  sufferings  of  the  people  and 
their  army  to  the  dignity  of  a  holy  sacrifice.  Each  recur 
ring  May  had  seen  the  church  yards  and  cemeteries  of  the 
whole  country  visited  by  the  people,  who,  with  reverence 
and  regard,  scattered  the  sweet  flowers  of  spring  upon  the 
graves  of  their  soldiers,  and  consecrated  their  graves  anew 
with  prayer,  eulogy,  and  sacred  and  patriotic  song.  Every 
where  the  people  sang — 

"  From  the  lily  of  love  that  uncloses 

In  the  glow  of  a  festival  kiss, 
On  the  wind  that  is  heavy  tvith  roses 

And  shrill  with  the  bugles  of  bliss, 
Let  it  float  o'er  the  mystical  ocean 

That  breaks  on  the  kingdom  of  night — 
Our  oath  of  eternal  devotion 

To  the  heroes  who  died  for  the  right! 

"  Ah,  grander  in  doom-stricken  glory 

Than  the  greatest  that  linger  behind, 
They  shall  live  in  perpetual  story, 

Who  saved  the  last  hope  of  mankind ! 
For  their  cause  was  the  cause  of  the  races 

That  languished  in  slavery's  night; 
And  the  death  that  was  pale  on  their  faces 

Has  filled  the  whole  world  with  its  light  ! 

"To  the  clouds  and  the  mountains  we  breathe  it, 

To  the  freedom  of  planet  and  star ; 
Let  the  tempests  of  ocean  enwreath  it, 

Let  the  winds  of  the  night  l>ear  it  far — 
Our  oath,  that,  till  manhood  shall  perish, 

And  honor  and  virtue  are  sped, 
We  are  true  to  the  cause  that  they  cherish, 

And  eternally  true  to  the  dead!" 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  3 

So  during  these  years,  there  has  arisen  a  new  interest  in 
the  more  minute  details  of  the  great  conflict.  The  history 
of  the  great  leaders  is  familiar  to  us  all,  but  only  in  the  de 
tails  of  a  regimental  history  can  we  see  and  learn  the  record 
of  the  private  soldier,  to  whom,  after  all,  is  due  the  glory  of 
the  victory. 

It  is  true  that  the  history  of  the  regiment  in  the  concrete 
belongs  to  the  State  and  the  Nation,  and  nothing  that  can 
now  be  said  or  done  can  add  to,  or  take  from,  the  record  it 
has  made.  But  while  this  is  true,  the  individual  history  of 
its  officers  and  men  is  the  home  history  of  each  fireside  that 
contributed  to  its  ranks;  and  it  is  due  to  the  memory  of  its 
noble  dead,  to  the  mothers,  fathers,  wives  and  friends  of 
both  living  and  dead,  that,  while  opportunity  lasts,  the  story 
of  the  regiment  be  written  and  its  lessons  of  heroism,  pa 
triotism  and  devotion  to  country  be  preserved. 

It  shall  not  be  claimed  for  the  n6th  that  either  its  officers 
or  its  enlisted  men  possessed  greater  courage  or  patriotism 
than  inspired  other  regiments  of  Ohio  soldiers.  All  we  shall 
claim  is  that  it  marched  and  fought  when  and  where  duty 
called;  that  from  Moorefield,  where  it  first  met  the  enemy 
in  battle,  to  Appomattox,  where  the  white  flags  of  the  re 
bellion  wii*e  thrown  to  the  breeze  before  its  skirmishers,  it 
never  wavered  or  faltered  in  its  duty  or  failed  to  perform  the 
part  assigned  it  in  the  work  of  destroying  treason  to  the  flag, 
and  planting  the  imperilled  nation  anew  upon  the  firm  rock 
of  peace. 

The  sacrifices  made,  the  sufferings  endured,  the  weary 
marches,  the  lonely  night  vigils,  the  days  and  nights  of  hun 
ger  and  fatigue,  wounds,  sickness,  death  in  battle  and  in 
hospital,  and  that  worse  than  death  long  lingering  in  South 
ern  prison  pens- — the  thrill  of  the  bayonet  charge,  the  steady 
tread  of  brave  men  advancing  to  the  battle  shock,  the  gloom 
of  disaster  and  defeat  and  the  loud  peans  of  victory,  these 
constitute  the  material  out  of  which  the  history  of  a  regi- 


4  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

ment  is  made.  To  portray  these  properly  we  must  follow 
the  trail  of  the  men  in  the  ranks.  Some  of  this  we  approach 
with  pleasure  and  pride,  much  of  it  with  hesitation  and  pain. 
To  how  many  is  "the  n6th"  the  synonym  of  woe.  How 
many  hearts  are  made  to  bleed  at  the  sad  recollections  its 
mention  revives?  And  yet  to  these  bleeding  hearts  may  it 
not  be  a  solace  and  a  balm  to  feel  and  know  that  their 
heroic  dead  are  not  forgotten  by  their  surviving  comrades; 
that  it  is  in  their  honor  we  write;  that  had  we  no  dead  there 
would  be  no  honor,  no  glory,  no  fame,  no  history  worth 
recording,  and  that  with  us,  as  with  them,  reverence  for  our 
dead 

"  Is  never  old  and  never  new, 
Because  it  is  eternal." 

The  history  of  the  n6th  would  not  be  properly  begun 
without  referring  to  the  noble  men  who  exerted  themselves 
in  recruiting  it,  who  gave  their  time,  their  money,  their 
voices  and  their  influence  to  filling  its  ranks.  To  the  mili 
tary  committees  of  the  different  counties  very  great  credit  is 
due,  and  that  they  may  be  known  to  all  the  friends  of  the 
regiment  they  are  given  below : 

ATHENS  COUNTY— M.  M.  Greene,  Hon.  J.  W.  Bayard,  H.  T.  Brown,  8.  W.  Pickering, 
Hon.  L.  L.  Smith,  Capt.  J.  M.  Dana,  E.  H.  Moore,  W.  R.  Golden,  T.  P.  Wildes. 

MONROE  COUNTY— Hon.  Wm.  F.  Hunter,  Hon.  J.  A.  Davenport,  John  Kerr,  Stephen 
S.  Ford,  J.  M.  Kirkbridge,  Nathan  Hollister. 

NOBLE  COUNTY— J.  Belford,  E.  G.  Dudley,  John  M.   Rounds,   B.  F.  Spriggs,  Wm. 
H.  Fra/er,  John   W.  Tipton,  Dr.  M.  Marl  in. 

MEIGS  COUNTY— Hiram  G.  Daniels,  David  R.  Jacobs,  J.  V.  Smith,  Ed.  Tiffany,  N. 
Sianberry,  Geo.  Eiselstein,  G.  W.  Cooper. 

WASHINGTON    COUNTY— Col.  W.  R.  Putnam,  Geo.  W.  Barker,  S.  F.  Cooke,    Mark 
Greene,  John  Newton. 

All  of  these  men  took  a  very  active  part  in  raising  the 
regiment,  but  many  others  helped.  In  Athens  County 
Elmer  Armstrong,  Joseph  Herrold,  Elza  Armstrong,  N.  O. 
Warren,  John  Frame,  W.  F.  Pilcher,  A.  D.  Jaynes,  the 
Glaziers,  the  Postons,  William  Golden,  Hon.  W.  Reed 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.   I.  5 

Golden  and  many  others,  took  an  active  part.  Conspicuous 
in  the  work  was  Elmer  Armstrong.  He  organized  the 
"amen  corner'"  at  the  meetings,  to  which  he  especially  in 
vited  all  the  "Bible  Democracy." 

The  p2d  was  full  on  August  i5th.  The  call  of  the 
Governor  for  two  full  regiments  from  the  district  was  is 
sued  July  pth.  The  p2cl  was  raised  in  two  weeks  after  the 
work  of  recruiting  was  begun.  As  soon  as  the  p2d  was 
full,  every  one  kept  at  work  to  raise  the  n6th.  In  Mon 
roe  County,  prominent  in  the  work  of  recruiting  was  Hon. 
James  R.  Morris,  Democratic  member  of  Congress.  There 
never  was  in  Ohio  such  a  deep-seated,  universal  feeling  of 
patriotism,  as  was  witnessed  during  the  months  of  July  and 
August,  1862.  The  women  took  as  deep  interest  in  the 
work  of  recruiting  the  920!  and  n6th  as  did  the  men. 
They  attended  the  meetings.  Many  "basket"  meetings 
were  held  at  which  the  women  furnished  excellent  meals, 
and  no  troops  passed  on  the  railroads  without  being  well 
fed.  The  enthusiasm  was  unbounded  everywhere  all  over 
the  district.  But  great  as  was  the  enthusiasm  in  the  other 
parts  of  the  district,  it  was  excelled  in  Monroe.  Tha.t 
county  had  seven  companies  to  raise  under  the  quota. 
Such  men  as  Hon.  James  R.  Morris,  Hon.  Wm.  Okey, 
Jacob  Mitchell,  S.  L.  Mooney,  J.  B.  Noll  and  William 
Read,  in  connection  with  the  military  committee  which  we 
have  named,  took  the  work  in  hand.  After  all  arrange 
ments  were  perfected  for  the  work  of  recruiting,  these 
gentlemen,  with  many  others,  took  the  county  by  storm, 
and  in  less  than  three  weeks  the  quota  of  Monroe  County 
was  full,  two  companies  going  into  the  p2d  and  five  into 
the  1 1 6th;  and  the  people  of  Monroe  County  have  ever 
since  availed  themselves  of  every  opportunity  to  do  honor 
to  the  1 1 6th  regiment. 

Very  few  regiments  from  Ohio  exceeded  the  n6th  in 
personnel.  It  was  composed  of  the  very  best  men  of  the 


O  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

counties  from  which  it  was  recruited.  They  had  not  gone 
out  in  the  first  hot  flush  excited  by  the  firing  on  of  Fort 
Sumter  and  the  opening  of  hostilities,  but  the  necessities  of 
the  Government,  now  so  pressing  and  so  apparent,  appealed 
to  their  judgment  as  well  as  to  their  patriotism,  and  with 
equal  alacrity  and  determination  with  those  who  had  gone 
before,  they  stepped  into  the  ranks  and  went  forth  to  fight 
the  battles  of  their  country  against  the  gigantic  conspiracy 
which  threatened  its  existence.  There  was  now  real  dan 
ger,  which  was  not  clear  until  now,  of  the  dissolution  of  the 
union  between  the  States,  of  the  arresting  of  the  progress, 
the  paralyzing  of  the  energies  of  the  whole  country,  and 
the  destruction  of  the  peace  of  the  Nation  forever.  The 
whole  people  felt  the  imminence  of  the  danger  which  now 
threatened  their  liberties  in  the  destruction  of  not  only  the 
form,  but  of  the  very  framework,  of  their  republican  insti 
tutions.  The  conspirators  had  been  in  deadly  earnest  from 
the  outset,  while  we  had  not  been  more  than  half  in  earnest. 
Till  now  Nation  and  people  had  been  half  tampering,  half 
pleading  with  treason,  but  now  both  had  determined  hence 
forth  to  battle  against  it  in  earnest, 

"  And  taking  counsel  but  of  common  sense, 
To  strike  at  cause  as  well  as  consequence." 

The  stake  in  the  contest  was  now  seen  to  be  human 
rights  and  civil  liberty.  No  man  who  loved  his  country,  on 
whose  soil  and  under  whose  flag  had  grown  the  perfect 
embodiment  of  liberty,  could  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  this  appeal. 
Beneath  the  beneficent  influences  of  the  government  es 
tablished  under  our  constitution,  humanity  had  asserted  its 
dignity  and  its  truth;  intelligence  had  become  the  birthright 
of  all;  peace  had  reigned  supreme;  and  over  boundless 
states,  territories,  hills,  valleys,  plains,  rivers  and  lakes,  the 
jubilant  bells  of  a  happy  people  rang  out  their  never  ending 
praises  of  the  perfect  freedom  they  enjoyed.  All  this  was 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  7 

put  in  joepardy  by  a  ruthless  and  treasonable  faction  now 
advanced  so  far  in  its  purpose  that  naught  but  its  utter  an 
nihilation  would  save  the  country.  The  alternative  thus 
presented  to  the  people  was  soon  chosen.  To  hesitate  now 
was  to  perish.  The  American  pro-slavery  rebellion  never 
had  any  foundation  in  truth,  no  defense  in  law,  no  justifi 
cation  in  equity  or  good  conscience.  Even  had  the  ends 
proposed  and  promised  been  attained  it  could  not  justify 
itself  before  a  single  nation  in  Christendom.  With  "slavery 
as  the  cornerstone"  it  would  have  been  a  blotch  upon  the 
face  of  the  earth  and  a  disgrace  to  the  nineteenth  century. 
But  the  war  into  which  this  causeless  rebellion  plunged  the 
country  could  not  end  in  its  success  without  resulting  in  the 
downfall  of  the  civil  liberties  of  the  people  of  the  whole 
country.  In  its  triumph  slavery,  with  all  its  attendant 
curses,  would  have  been  the  rule  and  freedom  the  exception 
all  over  the  country,  and  the  proud  name  of  American,  so 
far  from  being  an  honor  above  title  of  nobility  or  stars  of 
an  emperor's  decoration,  would  be  the  object  of  the  scorn 
and  derision  of  the  civilized  world.  It  was  to  this  peril  the 
country  was  approaching  when  the  President  called  for 
twice  300,000  men  in  the  summer  of  1862,  and  it  was  to 
thwart  this  that  a  half  million  of  our  people  were  inspired 
to  step  into  the  ranks  of  the  Union  Army.  War  had  no 
charms  or  allurements  for  them,  else  they  had  seized  the 
sword  at  the  first  alarum  of  war.  They  were  rather  of 
those  who  suffer  much  before  resenting  insult,  but  who, 
when  aroused,  are  the  more  formidable  antagonists. 

The  war  had  now  assumed  the  character  of  a  revolt  of 
the  union-loving,  freedom-loving  people  of  the  republic 
against  the  insolence  of  treason  and  slavery.  This  now 
was  not  only_/W/,  but  it  was  seen.  It  was  either  an  inglori 
ous  peace  and  disgraceful  submission,  or  a  complete  crush 
ing  out  of  the  military  power  of  the  rebellion.  The  whole 
people,  with  very  rare  ignoble  exceptions,  had  determined 


8  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

upon  the  latter  conclusion  of  the  contest.  And  so,  without 
thought  or  respect  of  party,  in  every  county  of  our  military 
district,  as  well  as  all  over  the  State,  there  was  a  unanimity 
in  the  work  of  recruiting  for  the  new  regiments  never 
before  seen. 

Two  men  in  Athens  County,  both  Democrats  in  politics, 
were  so  conspicuous  in  the  work  that  we  feel  it  due  to 
them  to  make  special  mention  of  their  services.  We  refer 
to  John  Frame,  of  Coolville,  and  Elmer  Armstrong,  of  Hib- 
bardsville.  They  were  men  of  considerable  wealth  and 
prominence,  and  peculiarly  enthusiastic  in  their  method  of 
doing  everything  they  took  hold  of.  Throwing  their  whole 
strength  and  power  into  the  canvass  for  recruits,  there  was 
soon  aroused  all  over  Athens  County  the  highest  state  of 
excitement  and  enthusiasm.  They  traveled,  talked  and 
worked  day  and  night,  until  their  county's  quota  was  full; 
and  when  our  regiment  was  organized  thev  were  both 
strenuously  urged  to  take  charge  of  the  sutler's  depart 
ment,  where  we  knew  they  would  be  of  great  service  to 
the  men.  Mr.  Frame  felt  himself  too  old  and  infirm  to  at 
tempt  it,  but  Mr.  Armstrong  accepted  the  appointment, 
which  he  soon  shared  with  A.  J.  Frame,  a  son  of  John 
Frame.  Another  son,  A.  B.  Frame,  was  a  lieutenant  in 
company  "-I."  Of  the  military  committees  we  have  named, 
it  would  be  invidious  to  speak  of  one  in  more  flattering 
terms  than  of  another.  They  each  and  all  did  all  that  men 
could  do,  not  only  before,  but  after  the  regiment  went  to 
the  field,  continuing  their  kind  offices  and  interest  in  its 
welfare  until  the  expiration  of  its  term  of  service. 

It  will  not,  I  hope,  be  considered  foreign  to  the  the  pur 
pose  of  this  volume  to  mention  that  great  popular  work 
which  made  care  for  the  soldiers  and  their  families  the 
business  of  life  for  our  tenderest  and  best  at  home  while  the 
war  lasted.  Of  much  of  it  no  man  may  speak.  Like 
charity  it  recoils  from  publicity.  It  would  be  intruding  to 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  9 

attempt  to  measure  the  love  of  the  mothers,  sisters  and 
wives  at  home  for  the  soldiers  in  the  field.  But  who  could 
attempt  it?  Who  can  chronicle  the  prayers  and  the  labors 
to  shield  them  from  death  and  disaster?  Who  can  find 
words  to  describe  the  womanly  fervor  which  counted  loss, 
suffering,  self-denial  and  even  life  as  nothing  so  that  God 
might  give  victory  to  the  Union  arms  in  the  battle  for  lib 
erty  and  the  right?  But  to  the  soldiers  in  the  field  the  tan 
gible  results  of  the  great  work  for  their  relief  carried  on  by 
the  women  at  home  were  so  many,  so  varied,  so  valuable, 
so  life-saving,  that  no  regimental  history  would  be  complete 
without  their  mention  and  their  grateful  acknowledgment. 
In  fact,  it  would  be  cruel  thoughtlessness  and  deep  ingrati 
tude  for  any  regiment  to  overlook  woman's  work  during 
the  war.  No  soldier  could  turn  in  any  direction  without 
meeting  with  something  that  bespoke  her  thought,  her 
care,  her  love  and  her  constant  effort  to  lighten  the  bur 
dens,  and  soften  the  hardships  of  his  lot. 

Immediately  after  the  organization  of  the  "Cincinnati 
Branch  of  the  Sanitary  Commission"  in  November,  1861, 
branch  "Soldiers'  Aid  Societies"  were  organized  in  all 
the  counties.  Early  in  May  a  "Soldiers'  Aid  Society" 
had  been  organized  in  Athens  with  Mrs.  E.  M.  Wildes  as 
president.  About  the  same  time  similar  societies  were  or 
ganized  in  Pomeroy,  Marietta,  Coolville  and  surrounding 
towns.  These  societies  connected  themselves  with  the 
Sanitary  Commission  at  Cincinnati  as  soon  as  it  was  estab 
lished,  thus  gathering  into  one  receptacle  the  fruits  of  all 
their  joint  labors.  "Camp  Jewett"  being  established  at 
Athens  early  in  1861  brought  to  the  very  doors  of  the  kind 
hearted  women  of  Athens  the  care  of  many  sick  soldiers. 
The  entire  county  was  soon  after  organized  for  relief  work 
through  the  efforts  of  the  society  at  Athens,  and  it  so  re 
mained  through  the  war.  It  would  be  impossible  to  re 
count  the  work  done  there,  much  less  throughout  the  other 


IO  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

counties  of  the  military  district.  Hundreds  of  sick,  and 
hungry,  and  wounded  soldiers  were  cared  for  through  the 
instrumentality  of  these  aid  societies.  Every  battle  was  the 
signal  for  sending  forward  large  stores  for  the  relief  of  the 
wounded.  After  very  many  of  the  more  serious  engage 
ments,  urgent  calls  for  relief  came  from  the  battle  fields  and 
these  were  responded  to  with  the  greatest  promptness  and 
generosity.  After  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  a  strong  appeal  for 
help  came.  Several  large  boxes  of  hospital  and  camp*  sup 
plies  were  sent  off  on  the  7th  of  April,  the  last  day  of  the 
battle,  in  charge  of  a  committee,  Messrs.  Twombly,  F.  L. 
Ballard  and  the  writer.  Day  and  night  the  women  of  all 
the  societies  in  the  county  worked,  and  on  the  pth,  the  loth 
and  the  nth,  other  supplies  were  sent  to  the  Sanitary  Com 
mission  at  Cincinnati.  Among  the  old  files  of  the  u  Athens 
Messenger"  we  find,  among  many  others,  the  following  let 
ter  of  acknowledgment : 

CINCINNATI,  April,  14th,  1802. 

Mrs,  E.  M.    Wildes,  P>~es.  Soldier's  Aid  Society,  Athens,  Ohio: 

DEAR  MADAM  :— On  behalf  of  our  Commission,  I  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
present,  as  well  as  of  former  contributions.  Please  accept  our  thanks  lor  the  same. 
The  demands  now  made  upon  us  are  very  great  and  pressing,  and  we  welcome  aid 
from  every  quarter.  Very  Respectfully, 

CHAS.  E.  CIST,  Cor.  Sec'y  pro  tern. 

Not  a  person  connected  with  all  these  aid  societies  re 
ceived  a  farthing  for  her  untiring,  constant  work.  Every 
dollar  and  every  dollar's  worth  went  to  the  soldiers  in  some 
needed  form.  In  short,  it  was  Christian  integrity  and 
scrupulous  fidelity  in  charge  of  the  people's  contributions 
for  their  men  in  the  ranks.  The  good  thus  done  can  never 
be  written,  and  perhaps  never  ought  to  be  written,  for  it 
was  the  work  of  the  heart.  In  every  hospital,  in  every 
camp,  on  every  march,  on  every  battle  field,  the  soldier  was 
met  by  the  agents  ot  the  Sanitary  Commission  with  the 
fruits  of  these  hard  worked  women's  toil  and  care.  How 
much  suffering  was  Alleviated,  how  much  prevented,  how 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  II 

much  comfort  afforded,  how  many  sick  beds  made  easy, 
how  many  wounds  healed,  how  many  precious  lives  saved 
through  the  instrumentality  of  woman's  work  in  these  so 
cieties,  can  never  be  told  on  earth.  Like  the  gentle  dew 
their  kind  charity  fell  and  like  it  disappeared,  leaving  a 
memory  only  that  shall  blossom  into  blessings  in  the  im 
mortality  of  their  beneficent  results. 

But  this  was  not  all  of  woman's  good  works  to  the  sol 
diers  in  the  field.  Our  regiment  was  a  great  portion  of  its 
time  engaged  in  active  campaigning.  After  we  were  free 
from  our  "base  of  supplies"  and  often,  too,  our  " commun 
ications  were  cut  off,"  no  one  who  has  not  seen  it  can  im 
agine  the  joy  of  "meeting  a  mail"  and  reading  a  "letter 
from  home"  from  a  mother,  a  father,  a  wife,  a  sister,  or 
a  sweetheart  after  such  a  time,  and  no  one  would,  if  he 
could,  describe  the  sore  disappointment  of  some  boy  when 
he  found  after  waiting  expectantly  until  the  last  letter  was 
handed  out  by  the  chaplain  that  there  was  none  for  him. 

The  women  —  old,  middle-aged  and  young  —  earned 
many  a  "  God  bless  you "  for  the  encouraging  letters  they 
wrote  to  the  soldiers.  Many  a  letter  from  a  mother,  wife 
and  sister,  written  to  cheer  and  comfort  a  son,  husband  or 
brother,  bore  the  marks  of  scalding  tears,  and  required  a 
braver  heart  to  write  than  it  did  to  face  the  storm  of  battle. 
The  agonizing  sufferings  in  the  homes  out  of  which  the 
light  had  gone,  and  the  long,  dark  days  and  nights  of  wait 
ing  and  watching  for  its  return,  could  only  be  endured  by 
the  patient  heart  and  strong  hope  of  woman.  It  would 
have  killed  more  men  than  it  did  women.  The  aid  socie 
ties  and  every  act  done  and  word  written  by  the  women 
were  a  power  of  good  for  loyalty.  While  the  union  senti 
ment  of  a  town  was  sure  to  crystallize  around  its  "  Aid  So 
ciety,"  the  hearts  of  the  soldiers  in  the  field  were  cheered 
and  strengthened  by  the  knowledge  of  the  agencies  em 
ployed  at  home  for  their  comfort. 


12  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

When  the  future  historian  writes  the  true  history  of  the 
War  of  the  Rebellion,  woman  will  be  given  a  first  place  in 
the  great  work  of  crushing  treason  and  restoring  peace  and 
union.  No  better  expression  has  ever  been  given  to  the 
noble  work,  the  silent  pain  and  courageous  suffering  of  wo 
man,  in  that  great  struggle  for  civil  liberty,  than  that  found 
in  the  following  beautiful  poem  by  T.  Buchanan  Read, 
entitled 


"  The  maid  who  binds  her  warrior's  sash 

With  smile  that  well  her  pain  dissembles, 
The  while,  beneath  her  drooping  lash, 

One  starry  tear-drop  hangs  and  trembles. 
Though  Heaven  alone  regards  the  tear, 

And  Fame  shall  never  know  her  story, 
Her  heart  has  shed  a  drop  as  dear 

As  ever  dewed  the  field  of  glory. 

"  The  wife  who  girds  her  husband's  sword, 

'Mid  little  ones  who  weep  and  wonder, 
And  bravely  speaks  the  cheering  word— 

What  though  her  heart  be  rent  asunder  ? 
Doomed,  nightly  in  her  dreams,  to  hear 

The  bolts  of  war  around  him  rattle, 
Hath  shed  as  sacred  blood  as  e'er 

Was  poured  upon  the  plain  ol  battle. 

"  The  mother  who  conceals  her  grief, 

While  to  her  breast  her  son  she  presses, 
Then  breathes  a  few  brave  words  and  brief, 

Kissing  the  patriot  brow  she  blesses  ; 
With  no  one  but  her  secret  God 

To  know  the  pain  that  weighs  upon  her, 
Sheds  holy  blood  as  e'er  the  sod 

Received  on  Freedom's  field  of  honor." 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  ORGANIZATION — TO  THE  RESCUE  OF  PARKERSBURG, 
THEN  OF  GALLIPOLIS  — MUSTERED  INTO  THE  U.  S.  SER 
VICE INTO  WEST  VIRGINIA OUR  FIRST  FIGHT WE 

DEFEAT  GENERAL  JONES  AND  4,OOO  CAVALRY  AT  MOORE- 
FIELD —  GEN.  MILROY'S  CONGRATULATIONS. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Ohio  rendezvoused  at 
Camp  Putnam,  Marietta,  on  the  25th  of  August,  1862. 
Several  of  its  companies  had  for  some  days  been  guarding 
the  Marietta  and  Cincinnati  Railroad,  then  supposed  to  be 
in  danger  of  destruction  by  rebel  raids  from  the  Virginia 
side  of  the  Ohio  river.  Some  of  the  road's  bridges  had 
been  burned  and  others  set  on  fire. 

But  three  or  four  officers  of  the  n6th  had  ever  seen 
any  military  service.  The  military  committees  of  the  sev 
eral  counties,  in  which  the  companies  composing  the  regi 
ment  had  been  raised,  met  at  Marietta  on  the  iyth  of 
August  and  selected  the  following  field  and  staff  officers  for 
recommendation  to  the  Governor:  James  Washburne,  of 
Monroe  County,  Colonel;  Thos.  F.  Wildes,  of  Athens 
County,  Lieutenant  Colonel;  W.  Thomas  Morris,  of  Mon 
roe  County,  Major;  W.  Reed  Golden,  of  Athens  County, 
Adjutant;  Artemus  W.  Williams,  of  Meigs  County,  Quar 
termaster.  Subsequently  Frederick  L.  Ballard,  of  Athens 
County,  was  selected  Adjutant,  vice  Golden,  whom  the 
Governor  declined  to  receive  because  he  was  lame.  These 
officers  were  all  commissioned  by  Governor  Tod.  At  a 
later  date  the  officers  held  a  meeting  and  elected  Rev.  E. 
W.  Brady  Chaplain  and  Elmer  Armstrong  Sutler.  Dr. 


14  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 

Walter  R.  Gilkey  was  assigned  to  the  regiment  as  sur 
geon,  Dr.  J.  Q.  A.  Hudson,  first  assistant  surgeon  and  Dr. 
James  Johnson  second  assistant  surgeon.  Milton  A.  Ellis 
was  appointed  Sergeant  Major,  William  J.  Lee  Quarter 
master  Sergeant,  and  Ezra  L.  Walker  Commissary  Ser 
geant.  Colonel  Washburne  had  been  a  captain  in  the  25th 
Ohio,  from  which  he  came  with  an  excellent  record  for 
bravery  and  efficiency.  The  date  of  rank  of  these  officers 
was:  Washburne,  August  22;  Wildes,  August  18;  Morris, 
August  19;  Ballard,  September  8;  Williams,  September  3. 
Companies  A,  C,  D,  E  and  F  were  raised  in  Monroe 
County,  Companies  B  and  G  in  Meigs  County,  Companies 
I  and  K  in  Athens  County,  and  Company  H  in  Noble 
County.  Some  drilling  was  done  at  Camp  Putnam  by 
squad  and  company,  but  the  regiment  was  never  in  line 
there.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes  joined  the  regiment  on 
the  25th  of  August.  On  the  ist  of  September  the  regi 
ment  was  ordered  to  Parkersburg  to  watch  the  movements 
of  Jenkins,  who  was  supposed  to  be  threatening  that 
place.  At  this  time  neither  officers  nor  men  had  been  mus 
tered  in.  All  were  without  uniforms,  accoutrements,  blan 
kets,  cooking  untensils  and  camp  equipage  except  that 
belonging  to  Camp  Putnam.  The  men  were  armed  with 
an  old  Belgian  rifle,  intended  more  for  show  than  use,  and 
they  did  not  even  make  a  good  show,  being  rusty  and  out 
of  order,  and  in  a  demoralized  condition  generally.  The 
men  had  been  in  camp  and  doing  duty  of  various  kinds  for 
several  days  without  a  change  of  clothing.  There  was 
yet  no  Adjutant  with  the  regiment  and  only  one  field  officer; 
scarcely  an  officer  had  a  sword  or  even  a  shoulder  strap, 
and  none  had  uniforms;  there  was  not  a  horse  in  the  regi 
ment;  not  an  officer  with  the  regiment  knew  how  to  form  a 
battalion,  how  to  move  it  after  it  was  formed,  what  com 
mands  to  give  or  how  to  give  them.  Such  was  the  situa 
tion  of  affairs  when  Col.  Putnam  hurried  into  camp  late  in 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  15 

the  afternoon  of  September  ist,  with  orders  from  Gov.  Tod, 
directing  the  n6th  to  hasten  to  Parkersburg.  Imagine  the 
surprise  and  indignation  of  officers  and  men  on  the  recep 
tion  of  this  order  under  the  circumstances!  Had  any  one 
in  camp  known  anything  of  war  or  its  regulations  there 
would  without  doubt  have  been  loud  murmurings,  if  not  a 
mutiny  then  and  there,  but  there  was  nothing  of  the  kind. 
On  the  contrary,  the  order  was  obeyed  with  as  much  alac 
rity,  as  the  regiment  ever  afterwards  obeyed  an  order,  and 
within  an  hour  we  were  on  the  march  to  Parkersburg. 
There  was  no  pageant  in  that  march  from  Camp  Putnam 
to  the  depot  that  evening.  No  banners  waved  over  those 
men,  no  music  cheered  them,  no  bugle  stirred  their  souls 
with  its  flaring  blast.  As  we  have  said,  there  was  not 
even  a  uniform  among  them.  The  farmer,  the  professor, 
the  student,  the  smith  and  the  miner  were  in  that  line. 
The  farmer  marched  in  the  garments  he  brought  from  the 
furrow,  the  professor  and  student  in  those  they  had  worn  in 
the  school-room,  the  smith  and  the  miner  were  attired  as 
they  had  been  in  the  shop  and  the  mine.  Here  were  the 
sturdy  yoemanry  of  Southeastern  Ohio  marching  to  the 
scenes  of  war.  From  the  hills  and  quiet  fields  of  Monroe, 
were  five  hundred  of  her  hardy  sons  of  toil;  from  Meigs 
two  hundred,  at  the  head  of  one  a  farmer,  and  at  the  head 
of  the  other  a  professor,  and  behind  him  marched  his  whole 
academy;  from  little  Athens,  two  hundred,  at  the  head  of 
one  a  jolly  business  man,  and  behind  him  the  very  flower 
of  the  village  of  his  residence,  at  the  head  of  the  other  "  a 
good  carpenter  but  not  much  of  a  soldier,"  as  he  often  used 
to  say  of  himself,  and  following  him  were  the  stoutest  and 
hardiest  of  the  miners  of  the  Hocking  Valley;  from  Noble, 
one  hundred,  headed  by  an  intrepid  and  dauntless  wounded 
soldier,  followed  by  the  pick  of  her  chivalric  youth,  and  by 
the  irrepressible  "Private  Dalzell."  And  these  thousand 
true  men,  loved  well  at  home,  and  made  of  sterling  stuff, 


1 6  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEETH    O.  V.  I. 

were  on  their  way  to  war,  to  actual  war.  And  their  un 
taught,  uncouth  and  unprepared  condition  made  the  specta 
cle  of  their  march  to  the  front  as  the  sun  was  going  down 
the  sky  that  evening  more  interesting  and  more  impressive, 
than  if  they  had  been  clothed  in  all  the  panoply  of  war.  It 
was  long  after  dark  when  we  were  ferried  over  the  Ohio 
to  the  trembling  city  of  Parkersburg.  Of  course  it  rained! 
What  soldier  ever  knew  it  not  to  rain  when  he  was  least 
prepared  for  it?  And  so  now  it  fairly  poured  as  though 
the  Heavens  were  baptizing  us  with  their  waters,  prepara 
tory  to  the  baptism  of  fire  which  we  were  for  years  to  re 
ceive  in  that  State  of  Virginia,  to  whose  shores  we  were 
being  slowly  ferried  across  the  beautiful  Ohio,  which  ran 
neutral  between  its  loyal  and  disloyal  banks. 

Without  tents  or  blankets  and  without  quarters,  we  took 
possession  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  depot,  and 
after  satisfying  ourselves  that  Jenkins  was  not  likely  to 
burn  the  town  before  morning,  we  spread  out  a  great  quan 
tity  of  sacked  grain,  with  which  the  depot  was  stored,  and 
lying  down,  slept  soundly  until  morning.  The  town  and 
the  roads  leading  into  it  were  picketed  by  some  of  the 
officers  of  the  regiment  most  of  the  night.  Before  daylight 
next  morning  we  were  up  and  ready  to  move  to  a  camping- 
place  selected  a  mile  or  more  out  of  town.  Here  we  found 
rations  enough  prepared  for  four  regiments.  A  company 
in  command  of  Captain  J.  H.  Dickey  stationed  there,  know 
ing  our  condition  and  expecting  more  in  the  same  plight, 
had  been  cooking  nearly  all  night,  and  now  we  partook  of 
an  excellent  breakfast.  As  we  were  preparing  to  leave  the 
depot  that  morning  the  old  freight  agent  arrived,  and  see 
ing  the  use  we  had  made  of  his  freight  during  the  night, 
was  the  maddest  man  for  a  few  minutes  any  of  us  ever 
saw.  He  actually  knocked  do\vn  a  couple  of  men  who  had 
the  impudence  to  laugh  at  his  rage,  and  to  avoid  further 
demonstrations  of  that  sort  the  men  tied  him  to  a  post, 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  1 7 

where  he  securely  remained  whilst  the  regiment  was  mak 
ing  its  escape  to  camp. 

About  the  streets  were  a  good  many  old  soldiers,  some 
on  furlough  and  more  who  were  stragglers  from  the  recent 
engagements  in  that  part  of  Virginia.  We  felt  uncomfort 
able  in  their  presence  and  when  we  began  to  prepare  to 
move  out  to  camp  we  realized  more  than  ever  our  untaught 
condition.  How  to  form  we  did  not  know,  so  we  con 
cluded  to  let  Captain  Teters  go  ahead  and  the  rest  to  fol 
low  him  as  best  they  could.  How  we  got  out  to  camp 
none  of  us  ever  knew,  but  when  we  got  there  and  found 
breakfast  ready,  we  knew  just  what  to  do.  Here  was 
something,  after  all,  that  we  had  done  before.  That  day 
Colonel  Mulligan's  "Irish  Brigade"  and  other  troops  ar 
rived  and  we  did  our  first  guard  and  picket  duty.  The 
loyal  Governor  Boreman  was  in  Parkersburg  at  that  time, 
and  an  order  was  issued,  that  no  citizen  could  pass  in  or  out, 
until  recognized  as  a  Union  man  by  him.  It  gave  the  Gov 
ernor  plenty  of  work  to  do  for  a  couple  of  days.  Colonel 
Mulligan's  men  camped  beside  us,  and  seeing  our  destitute 
condition,  generously  loaned  us  their  cooking  utensils,  and 
gave  our  men  a  great  many  useful  lessons  in  army  life. 
Our  men  never  forgot  this  kindness,  and  whenever  they 
afterwards  caught  sight  of  the  green  flags  of  those  gallant 
and  whole-souled  Irishmen,  they  gave  them  "three  cheers 
and  a  tiger." 

One  of  the  first  things  wre  did  was,  to  tear  down  a 
whisky  shanty  and  empty  the  filthy  contents  of  several  bar 
rels,  kegs  and  bottles  into  the  gutters.  We  found  the 
keepers  of  the  place  to  be  old  acquaintances  from  Athens, 
who  had  been  treated  the  same  way  there  by  some  soldiers 
from  Camp  Jewett  and  compelled  to  leave  the  town.  They 
would  sell  whisky  to  soldiers  wherever  they  were,  orders 
or  no  orders,  and  none  but  extreme  measures  were  appre 
ciated  by  them,  so  we  broke  up  their  business. 


1 8  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    6.  V.  f. 

On  the  4th,  Colonel  Washburn  and  Major  Morris  ar 
rived  in  camp.  Sometime  before  our  appearance  in  Park- 
ersburg,  General  Cox  left  the  Kanawha  Valley  with  all  the 
available  troops  to  join  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  in  which 
he  performed  gallant  services,  as  will  be  remembered,  in 
the  battles  of  South  Mountain  and  Antietam.  He  had  left 
Colonel  Lightburn  in  command,  whose  force  was  soon 
driven  to  the  Ohio  River.  On  the  2d,  Colonel  Rathbone 
surrendered  the  nth  West  Virginia  regiment  to  Jenkins,  at 
a  point  a  few  miles  from  Parkersburg.  He  and  his  officers 
were  paroled  and  came  into  Parkersburg  on  the  3rd. 
About  the  same  time  General  Morgan  began  his  retreat 
from  Cumberland  Gap  to  the  Ohio  River  at  Gallipolis, 
which  he  reached  about  the  4th.  On  the  6th  of  September, 
we  were  ordered,  with  about  the  same  haste  as  from  Mari 
etta,  to  Gallipolis.  As  we  passed  through  Athens  early  in 
the  morning  of  the  7th  M.  M.  Greene,  who  happened  to  be 
at  the  depot,  said  if  we  would  wait  fifteen  minutes  the  citi 
zens  would  give  us  our  breakfasts.  We  waited  and  they 
did  not  disappoint  us.  Before  the  time  was  up  the  road 
leading  to  the  depot  was  thronged  with  men,  women  and 
children  bringing  coffee,  bread,  meat,  pies,  cakes,  etc. 
Many  were  at  their  breakfasts  and  brought  all  they  had  on 
their  tables.  The  entire  regiment  was  fed  bountifully. 
Some  of  the  companies  from  the  other  counties  were  sur 
prised  at  this  swift  way  of  doing  things.  We  landed  at 
Oak  Hill  that  evening,  and,  after  supper,  marched  to  Cen- 
terville,  where  we  went  into  camp  about  10  P.  M.  Arrived 
at  Gallipolis  early  next  day  and  went  into  camp  in  the  Fair 
Grounds.  Some  of  General  Morgan's  troops  on  arriving 
here  looked  about  as  hard  as  we  did  after  the  Lynchburg 
raid.  All  the  Union  forces  in  West  Virginia  and  Eastern 
Kentucky  were  now  lying  along  or  near  the  Ohio  River 
and  the  line  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  most  of 
them  on  the  Ohio  side.  The  "Home  Guard"  and  militia 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  1C) 

in  all  the  counties  bordering  on  the  Ohio  were  called  out 
and  ordered  to  Gallipolis,  and  when  we  arrived  there  the 
country  about  the  city  was  full  of  soldiers.  A  very  large 
force  of  militia  was  here,  among  them  a  company  of  130 
men  from  Athens  County  in  command  of  Captain  A.  D. 
Jaynes.  Two  other  companies  from  Athens  were  also 
there,  one  under  Captain  F.  H.  Hackman,  the  other  under 
Captain  Silas  Pruden.  Adjutant  Ballard  went  to  Cincin 
nati  from  here  on  business  for  the  regiment,  and  Lieutenant 
H.  L.  Karr  acted  as  Adjutant  in  his  absence.  On  the  I2th 
Colonel  Washburn  was  sent  up  the  Kanawha,  with  the 
three  companies  of  the  p2d  O.  V.  I.  and  some  other  troops, 
to  reinforce  Colonel  Lightburn,  who  was  fighting  above 
Charleston  and  falling  back  toward  the  Ohio  before  a 
vastly  superior  force  of  rebels.  He  was  gone  three  days, 
Lightburn's  forces,  in  the  meantime,  having  reached  the 
Ohio  at  Point  Pleasant,  where  he  fortified.  General  Mor 
gan  soon  organized  the  miscellaneous  companies  and  regi 
ments  into  a  formidable  army.  In  a  few  days  after  our 
arrival  General  Cox  arrived  and  assumed  command.  Our 
first  camp  was  some  distance  above  Gallipolis,  where  wre 
entered  upon  the  work  of  drilling  in  real  earnest.  Upon 
the  arrival  of  General  Cox  we  were  moved  three  miles  be 
low  Gallipolis.  From  our  first  camp  we  could  occasionally 
see  the  rebels  on  the  opposite  side,  seemingly  content  with 
having  driven  the  "  Yanks  "  off  the  "  sacred  soil."  Colonel 
Lightburn's  forces  arrived  at  Point  Pleasant  from  Charles 
ton  on  the  2Oth.  On  the  i6th  and  iyth  of  September,  the 
regiment,  excepting  companies  K  and  F,  which  were  not 
quite  full,  owing  to  some  desertions  and  some  rejections 
which  reduced  them  below  the  minimum,  was  mustered 
into  the  United  States  service,  and  we  received  clothing, 
camp  and  garrison  equipage,  and  better  arms.  Over  forty 
of  Captain  Hull's  men  refused  to  be  mustered  and  left  camp 
as  deserters.  This  conduct  was  very  disgraceful  and  left 


20  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

company  K  with  less  than  the  minimum,  so  that  it  could 
not  be  mustered.  One  of  his  lieutenants,  Miers,  also  re 
fused  to  be  mustered.  General  George  B.  Wright  paid  us 
a  visit  shortly  after  our  arrival  at  Gallipolis,  and  made  a 
speech  to  the  regiment,  in  which  he  complimented  us  very 
highly  on  our  willingness  and  promptness  in  obeying  orders 
in  moving  from  point  to  point  to  defend  the  border  before 
we  were  mustered  in,  or  properly  equipped. 

The  officers  and  men  rapidly  improved  in  the  manual  of 
arms  and  in  squad  and  company  drill.  We  had  now  a  fine 
looking  regiment.  Most  of  the  men  were  very  large, 
healthy,  strong  fellows,  giving  promise  of  great  endurance 
and  a  capability  of  making  their  regiment  and  themselves  a 
record  in  whatever  field  of  service  they  might  be  called  to 
act.  Officers'  school  was  also  established,  and  the  whole 
regiment  was  soon  as  busy  as  a  hive  in  learning  the  art  of 
war.  Some  battalion  drill  was  also  indulged  in,  but  it  was 
not  performed  with  much  skill  and  generally  ended  in  dis 
gust  all  round. 

Among  the  troops  we  met  at  Gallipolis  was  the  4Oth 
Ohio.  Very  strict  orders  were  in  force,  at  one  time,  in  re 
gard  to  passing  any  one  in  or  out.  One  day,  as  Captain 
Teters  was  on  duty  on  the  river  road  east  of  Gallipolis, 
Colonel  Taylor  of  that  regiment  rode  up  to  the  guard  and 
attempted  to  pass  out.  He  had  on  a  "linen  duster"  and  no 
sign  of  his  rank  was  visible.  Captain  Teters  ordered  him 
to  halt.  This  he  declined  to  do,  until  the  Captain  caught 
his  horse  by  the  bridle  and  stopped  him.  He  made  a  mo 
tion  to  draw  a  revolver  from  his  holster,  when  the  Captain 
drew  his  from  a  holster  on  his  sword  belt,  and  getting  the 
"  drop  "  on  him  ordered  the  Colonel  to  "  dismount  and  sur 
render."  The  Colonel  obeyed  promptly.  Colonel  Taylor 
then  told  who  he  was  and  again  demanded  to  be  passed 
through  the  lines.  Teters'  mettle  was  up  by  this  time,  and 
he  held  the  Colonel  a  prisoner,  refusing  to  recognize  his 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  21 

rank  or  his  right  to  pass  his  guard  without  authority  from 
General  Cox's  headquarters.  High  words  ensued,  and  the 
Captain  was  about  ordering  his  prisoner  under  guard  to 
the  Provost  Marshal,  when  General  Cox,  with  some  mem 
bers  of  his  staff,  happened  to  .ride  up.  Explanations  fol 
lowed  and  the  Colonel  rode  off  a  wiser  if  not  a  better 
officer.  General  Cox  personally  thanked  Captain  Teters 
for  his  care  in  enforcing  orders  and  reproved  Colonel 
Taylor  for  his  conduct. 

While  we  lay  here  was  probably  the  darkest  and 
gloomiest  period  of  the  war.  A  despondent  feeling  over 
spread  the  whole  North.  Union  men  were  discouraged 
and  the  disloyal  element  was  correspondingly  jubilant. 
President  Lincoln  had  on  the  22d  of  September  issued  his 
proclamation  "that  on  the  first  day  of  January,  1863,  all 
persons  held  as  slaves  within  any  State,  or  designated  part 
of  any  State,  the  people  whereof  shall  then  be  in  rebellion 
against  the  United  States,  shall  be  then,  thenceforward  and 
forever  free."  Partisan  feeling  ran  high,  even  in  the  army. 
Many  officers  resigned,  declaring  they  would  no  longer 
serve  in  an  "  abolition  war."  The  newspapers,  according 
to  their  partisan  bias,  applauded  or  denounced  the  proclam 
ation.  The  large  enlistments  during  the  months  of  July, 
August  and  September,  had  drained  the  country  of  many  of 
the  warmest  supporters  of  the  Government  at  home,  and 
at  the  October  elections,  many  of  the  Northern  States,  in 
cluding  Ohio,  seemed  to  manifest  their  disapproval  of  the 
proclamation  and  the  conduct  of  the  war  by  voting  for  the 
Democratic  party,  which  refused  its  sanction  to  any  scheme 
of  emancipation.  In  the  army,  and  especially  in  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  the  predominant  feeling  was  suspected  to 
be  adverse  to  the  proclamation.  If  the  October  elections 
could  be  taken  as  an  expression,  the  majority  of  the  North 
ern  people  were  also  adverse  to  it.  Many  efforts  were 
made  to  turn  the  tide  of  discontent  and  re-establish  the  con- 


22  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

fidence  of  the  country.  The  meeting  of  the  "  Governors  of 
the  Loyal  States"  at  Altoona,  Pa.,  was  a  notable  effort  in 
this  direction.  Among  other  things  done  by  this  meeting 
was  the  adoption  of  an  address  to  President  Lincoln  and 
the  country,  in  which,  among  other  things,  they  said: 
"  We  hail  with  heartfelt  gratitude  and  encouraged  hopes 
the  proclamation  issued  on  the  22d  instant,  declaring  eman 
cipated  from  their  bondage  all  persons  held  to  service  or 
labor  as  slaves  in  the  rebel  States  where  rebellion  shall  last 
until  the  first  day  of  January  ensuing."  With  a  view  to 
suppressing  the  disloyal  tendencies  of  many  and  to  restrain 
their  interfering  with  and  discouraging  enlistments,  Presi 
dent  Lincoln  issued  another  proclamation  on  the  24th  of 
September.  We  quote  from  it  as  follows: 

"WHEREAS,  It  has  become  necessary  to  call  into  service 
not  only  volunteers,  but  also  portions  of  the  militia  of  the 
States  by  draft  in  order  to  suppress  the  insurrection  exist 
ing  in  the  United  States,  and  disloyal  persons  are  not  ad 
equately  restrained  by  the  ordinary  processes  of  the  law 
from  hindering  this  measure,  and  from  giving  aid  and  com 
fort  in  various  ways  to  the  insurrection, 

Now,  THEREFORE,  be  it  ordered: 

First,  That  during  the  existing  insurrection,  and  as  a 
necessary  measure  for  suppressing  the  same,  all  rebels  and 
insurgents,  their  aiders  and  abettors,  within  the  United 
States,  and  all  persons  discouraging  volunteer  enlistments, 
resisting  militia  drafts,  or  guilty  of  any  disloyal  practices, 
affording  aid  and  comfort  to  the  rebels  against  the  author 
ity  of  the  United  States,  shall  be  subject  to  martial  law  and 
liable  to  trial  and  punishment  by  court  martial  or  military 
commissioners." 

The  address  of  the  Governors  and  the  latter  proclama 
tion  by  the  President  had  the  effect  to  restore,  in  a  great 
measure,  the  confidence  of  the  loyal  people,  and  to  suppress 
open  demonstrations  of  hostility  to  the  Government  on  the 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  23 

part  of  those  opposing  enlistments,  the  draft,  the  suppres 
sion  of  the  rebellion  by  force  of  arms,  and  the  emancipation 
of  the  slaves  of  the  South.  But  while  this  was  true  as  to 
open  opposition,  there  were  organized  immediately  after 
wards  secret  political  societies  all  over  the  North,  promi 
nent  among  which  was  the  one  known  in  history  as  the 
u  Order  of  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle,"  all  of  which 
were  notoriously  disloyal  in  character  and  design.  These 
two  proclamations  of  the  President  sharply  defined  the  fu 
ture  policy  of  the  Government,  and  as  sharply  developed 
the  antagonisms  and  prejudices  of  the  people  in  relation  to 
the  vexed  question  of  slavery.  The  anti-slavery  element  of 
the  country  regarded  the  emancipation  proclamation  as  a 
blow  at  the  root  of  the  rebellion,  and  believed  that  it  would 
lend  new  vigor  to  the  efforts  to  suppress  it  and  new  life  and 
hopes  to  the  hearts  of  the  people.  To  this  element  had 
been  added  by  this  time  a  vastly  more  numerous  one  com 
posed  of  patriotic  people,  regardless  of  party  in  all  parts  of 
the  country,  \vho  had  come  to  believe  that  slavery  was  an 
element  of  strength  to  the  rebellion  and  who  favored  its  de 
struction  as  a  means  of  destroying  and  suppressing  the  re 
bellion.  To  this  latter  class  belonged  Governor  Tod,  of 
Ohio,  Governor  Pierpont,  of  Virginia,  Governor  Bradford, 
of  Maryland,  Governor  Morton,  of  Indiana,  what  was 
known  as  the  "Douglass  Democracy,"  and,  in  short,  the 
great  body  of  the  loyal  people  of  the  country.  Among 
them  now  there  was  but  little  division  of  opinion  on  the  im 
portance  of  slavery  to  the  rebellion,  and  hence  their  hearty 
endorsement  of  the  emancipation  proclamation.  And  so  it 
followed  that  they  also  endorsed  the  proclamation  which 
aimed  at  those  who  discouraged  enlistments  and  resisted  the 
draft  as  a  necessary  war  measure.  But  with  the  opponents 
to  the  proclamation,  with  the  lukewarm  supporters  of  the 
Union,  and  with  the  avowed  opponents  of  the  war,  the  two 
measures  were  denounced  as  "arbitrary  interferences  of  the 


24  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

Government  with  the  personal  rights  of  a  citizen,"  and  the 
feeling  aroused  by  their  discussion  was  bitter  and  vindic 
tive  beyond  anything  ever  before,  or  since,  witnessed  in  this 
country.  The  feeling  ran  so  high,  and  discussion  became  so 
bitter  and  hostile  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  that  General 
McClellan  on  the  7th  of  October  issued  an  order  forbidding 
discussion  of  the  proclamation.  Other  army  commanders 
found  it  necessary  to  follow  his  example  in  this  respect. 
Our  own  regiment  was  not  free  from  this  feeling,  and  it  did 
not  entirely  abate  until  after  the  action  taken  at  Romney 
in  January  following.  Enlistments  were  almost  entirely 
checked,  as  Colonel  Washburn  found,  who,  taking  com 
panies  K  and  F  back  to  Camp  Putnam,  tried  to  fill  them 
up.  Such,  then,  was  the  state  of  public  affairs,  when  the 
n6th  entered  the  service  in  the  fall  of  1862. 

On  the  1 6th  of  October  the  regiment  left  Gallipolis  for 
Parkersburg.  On  the  march  we  passed  through  Meigs 
and  Athens  Counties,  the  homes  of  many  of  our  men. 
The  first  night  we  stopped  at  Cheshire,  in  Gallia  County. 
The  next  day  we  passed  through  Pomeroy  and  that  night 
camped  at  Chester.  The  next  day  we  took  dinner  at 
T  upper's  Plains,  the  home  of  Captain  Keyes  and  most  of 
his  company,  and  that  night  we  camped  at  Coolville,  the 
home  of  Captain  Fuller  and  most  of  his  company.  We 
met  with  grand  receptions  at  all  these  places,  the  people 
turning  out  en  masse  to  greet  us,  having  everything  pre 
pared  in  most  lavish  abundance  for  our  comfort  on  our  ar 
rival  at  each  place  of  stopping.  We  arrived  at  Belpre,  op 
posite  Parkersburg,  on  the  ipth,  from  which  point  Colonel 
Washburn  went  to  Camp  Putnam  with  companies  K  and 
F.  He  did  not  succeed  in  filling  them  until  the  28th  of 
October,  when  they  were  mustered  into  the  service.  It 
required  more  hard  work  to  secure  about  a  dozen  men  each 
for  those  two  companies,  than  it  did  to  recruit  all  the  rest  of 
the  regiment.  On  the  22d,  the  balance  of  the  n6th  crossed 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  25 

the  river  to  Parkersburg  and  took  the  cars  to  Clarksburg, 
arriving  there  the  following  morning.  That  night  ride  to 
Clarksburg  was  a  terribly  disagreeable  one.  It  was  very 
cold,  and  there  being  no  fire  or  means  of  making  fire  in  the 
old  rickety  cattle  cars  in  which  we  were  being  moved,  the 
men  were  in  imminent  danger  of  freezing.  Finally,  as  the 
men  expressed  it,  a  "council  of  war"  was  held  and  this 
plan  adopted  to  warm  the  cars:  The  lining  of  the  cars 
was  torn  off,  whittled  or  broken  up,  the  doors  closed  and 
fires  built  on  the  board  seats.  When  in  danger  of  burning 
through  a  seat  it  would  be  moved  to  another  spot,  and  so 
on  during  the  night,  \vith  regular  guards  detailed  to  keep 
up  the"  fire  and  watch  it.  Of  course  the  smoke  had  to  be 
disposed  of.  This  was  done  by  standing  it  as  long  as  they 
could,  when  the  doors  would  be  opened  on  both  sides  of  the 
cars  to  allow  the  smoke  to  blow  out.  Looking  forward 
from  the  rear  car  the  train  appeared  almost  entirely  envel 
oped  in  smoke.  But  when  we  arrived  in  Clarksburg  the 
next  morning,  the  charred  seats,  the  absent  lining  of  the 
cars,  and  the  blackened  han<js  and  faces  of  the  men  showed 
pretty  plainly,  how  they  had  spent  the  night  in  fighting  the 
cold.  At  Parkersburg,  we  were  put  into  a  brigade  com 
manded  by  Colonel  Latham,  and  Lieutenant  Sibley  was  de 
tached  from  the  regiment  and  assigned  as  an  aide  on  his 
staff.  At  Clarksburg,  we  met  the  36th,  23d  and  some 
other  regiments  just  returned  from  making  for  themselves  a 
glorious  record  on  the  South  Mountain  and  Antietam  battle 
fields.  We  met  many  acquaintances  among  them,  and  were 
deeply  interested  in  their  stirring  accounts  of  those  battles, 
and  especially  of  the  desperate  stand  made  by  General 
Cox's  Kanawha  Division,  the  left  of  the  army  during  the 
first  day's  fight  at  South  Mountain.  Now  that  we  were 
soldiers,  we  found  ourselves  taking  a  sort  of  family  interest 
in  the  deeds  of  other  soldiers  never  so  strongly  felt  by  us 
before.  Here  we  also  met  General  Milroy,  who  had  just 


26  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

been  assigned  to  command  the  "  Cheat  Mountain  Division," 
of  which  we  were  to  form  a  part.  General  Crook,  who 
had  won  his  star  in  the  battles  named,  was  also  there.  At 
Clarksburg,  we  received  further  equipments  in  the  way  of 
teams  and  Sibley  tents.  On  the  26th  we  started  on  the 
march  for  Buckhannon,  reaching  there  on  the  27th.  The 
roads  could  hardly  have  been  worse,  if  made  to  order,  and 
added  to  this,  it  rained  hard  from  almost  the  moment  of 
starting  from  Clarksburg.  That  night  it  continued  to  rain 
even  harder  than  during  the  day.  "  Sibley  stoves  "  had  not 
yet  been  issued  and  the  boys  complained  terribly  because 
they  had  nothing  to  burn  but  "  wet  rails."  Sibley  tents  did 
not  draw  very  well,  and  the  fires  built  in  them  soon  filled 
them  with  dense  volumes  of  smoke.  For  raw  soldiers,  that 
was  a  very  uncomfortable  night,  but  dismal  as  it  was,  some 
of  the  men  went  out  "foraging"  and  next  morning  several 
had  breakfast  of  roast  pig  and  turkey.  On  reaching 
Buckhannon  that  day,  the  regiment  was  followed  by  a  train 
of  twenty-seven  loaded  wagons,  and  a  cloud  of  citizens  load 
ed  with  complaints  against  us  fgr  "pressing"  their  horses, 
etc.,  into  the  service.  General  Milroy  was  hard  pressed  for 
an  apology  for  us,  but  finally  getting  all  the  citizens'  horses 
and  wagons  together,  he  dismissed  them  for  their  homes, 
each  with  his  own  vehicle  and  enough  good  army  rations 
to  keep  them  in  good  cheer  on  their  journev.  From  what 
he  knew  of  the  n6th  on  the  train  from  Parkersburg,  and 
this,  too,  he  said  he  thought  the  n6th  Ohio  would  take 
care  of  itself.  We  thought  so,  too. 

On  the  3Oth,  the  I23d  Ohio  joined  us  with  the  same 
teams  again,  they  having  even  a  larger  train  than  we  had. 
By  this  time,  Milroy's  stock  of  patience  began  to  give  out, 
and  he  issued  an  order  forbidding  the  army  to  molest  the 
property  of  citizens,  unless  we  had  satisfactory  evidence  of 
their  disloyalty,  which  "evidence"  was  not  hard  to  get, 
when  we  wanted  anything.  There  never  was  much  trou- 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  27 

ble  in  getting  this  kind  of  "evidence,"  whenever  we  found 
ourselves  in  want  of  transportation,  and  we  were  always  in 
want  of  it,  for  every  soldier,  now,  had  three  times  as  much 
stuff  as  he  ought  to  have  in  active  field  service.  Colonel 
Washburn  joined  us  on  the  3ist  with  companies  K  and  F, 
and  now  we  had  a  full  regiment,  completely  equipped, 
rather  too  completely,  in  fact,  and  ready,  as  we  thought, 
for  any  service  assigned  us.  We  were  now  brigaded  with 
the  i22d  and  12 3d  Ohio  regiments,  with  Colonel  Washburn 
as  Brigade  Commander.  Colonel  Washburn  made  Adju 
tant  Ballard  his  Assistant  Adjutant  General,  and  Quarter 
master  Williams  his  A.  A.  Q.  M.  Quartermaster  Ser 
geant  W.  J.  Lee  accompanied  the  Quartermaster.  Lieu 
tenant  Hiram  L.  Siblev,  of  company  B,  was  detailed  as 
Acting  Adjutant.  What  became  of  our  other  brigade  no 
one  seems  to  know  and  but  few  remember  ever  having  even 
seen  our  first  brigade  commander.  At  any  rate  Lieutenant 
Sibley  came  back  to  us  at  Buckhannon,  just  in  time  to 
assume  the  duties  of  his  new  position  of  Adjutant  of  his 
regiment.  Lieutenant  Alexander  Cochran,  of  company  I, 
was  detailed  as  Acting  Quartermaster  of  the  regiment,  and 
Corporal  George  K.  Campbell,  of  B,  was  appointed  Acting 
Quartermaster  Sergeant.  We  kept  up  our  drilling  with 
great  diligence,  and  were  every  day  improving  in  the  tac 
tics,  while  the  discipline  was  strict,  and  as  the  men  some 
times  thought,  severe.  Lieutenant  Robert  Wilson,  of  com 
pany  A,  an  officer  who  gave  bright  promise  of  being  one  of 
the  best  in  the  regiment,  was  here  stricken  down  with 
fever,  was  sent  home,  and  soon  afterward  died.  His  was 
our  first  death.  We  found  General  Milroy  a  very  kind  and 
courteous  officer,  full  of  energy  and  loyalty.  No  slave  was 
ever  turned  back  from  his  lines,  for  he  ardently  supported 
the  policy  of  the  Administration,  embodied  in  the  emancipa 
tion  proclamation. 

The  enemy  was  quite  active  in  guerilla  warfare  in  all 


28  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

West  Virginia,  and  we  had  plenty  of  scouting  and  picketing 
to  do,  all  of  which  was  teaching  our  men  the  value  of  disci 
pline  and  strict  obedience  to  orders  in  and  out  of  camp. 
But,  notwithstanding,  there  would  sometimes  occur  grave 
misconduct  and  violation  of  orders.  One  night  it  was  dis 
covered  that  quite  a  number  of  men  were  out  of  camp  and 
away  in  the  country  foraging  on  their  own  account. 
Strong  guards  were  placed  at  different  points  about  the 
camp,  and  a  detail  sent  out  after  the  foragers.  They  were 
met  some  distance  out,  returning  to  camp  loaded  down 
with  honey  and  fresh  meat  of  different  kinds,  and  marched 
to  headquarters.  It  was  afterwards  learned  that  another 
party  had  been  out  earlier  the  same  night  which  had  gotten 
safely  back  to  camp  with  their  plunder.  Search  was  at 
once  made  and  most  of  the  plunder,  and  the  men  who  had 
it,  discovered.  Colonel  Washburn  was  just  about  assuming 
command  of  the  brigade,  having  received  his  orders,  but 
discovering  this,  he  stopped  awhile  to  discipline  these  unruly 
fellows.  The  boys  never  forgot  the  short,  sharp  lecture  he 
delivered  to  them,  and  going  out  of  camp  after  plunder 
during  the  night  was  put  a  stop  to  for  some  time  after 
wards.  Nobody  was  punished  and  all  agreed  to  be  good 
boys  in  the  future,  and  they  kept  their  word. 

November  pth,  we  broke  camp  and  started  for  Beverly. 
That  night  we  camped  at  the  middle  fork  of  the  Tygart 
Valley  River.  Just  as  we  stacked  arms,  a  team  ran  away. 
The  wagon  was  upset  and  a  general  smashup  made  of 
everything.  The  soldiers  made  a  rush  for  the  wreck  with 
the  double  purpose  of  catching  the  runaway  team  and  help 
ing  the  unfortunate  mule  driver.  The  wagon  proved  to  be 
loaded  with  medical  stores,  among  which  was  a  large  quan 
tity  of  bottled  wine,  whisky  and  brandy,  and  observing  the 
contents  of  the  dilapidated  wagon,  the  soldiers  very  soon 
captured  "the  bottles  with  corks  out,"  as  they  afterward 
said,  when  called  to  account,  but  it  was  more  than  suspected 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  2p 

that  they  also  captured  all  the  bottles  whose  "corks"  could 
be  -pulled  out.  It  was,  however,  always  claimed  by  the 
men  of  the  n6th  that  the  i23d  appropriated  the  bottles 
whose  corks  could  be  pulled  out,  and  that  they,  acting  sim 
ply  on  the  maxim  "  waste  not,  want  not,"  took  only  the  bot 
tles  with  corks  out.  It  was  too  intricate  a  question  to  settle 
off  hand  in  the  conflicting  state  of  the  proof,  and  was 
dropped  as  one  of  those  things  "no  fellow  can  find  out." 
Major  Morris,  to  whom  an  investigation  of  the  matter  was 
referred,  was  found  next  morning  with  several  bottles  with 
"corks  out,"  which  he  said  "had  been  offered  in  evidence." 
We  reached  Beverly  next  day,  passing  over  the  battle 
ground  of  Rich  Mountain,  and  through  some  of  the  most 
beautiful  mountain  scenery  in  Virginia.  While  lying  here, 
we  were  the  recipients  of  many  kindnesses  from  Mrs. 
Arnold,  the  only  surviving  sister  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 
She  was  a  thoroughly  loyal  woman,  and  kept  the  stars  and 
stripes  constantly  flying  over  her  house.  She  was,  besides, 
kind-hearted  and  attentive,  beyond  the  power  of  pen  to  tell 
to  the  Union  soldiers,  many  and  many  an  one  owing  his  life 
to  her  care.  Colonel  Washburn  went  from  here  to  Clarks 
burg  and  thence  to  Columbus  for  a  better  class  of  arms. 
On  the  night  of  the  loth,  for  the  first  time,  our  men  "slept 
on  their  arms,"  our  post  being  threatened  with  an  attack. 
Our  stay  at  Beverly  was  an  enjoyable  season,  if  we  may 
believe  the  statements  contained  in  a  letter  before  us,  dated 
November  i2th,  1862:  "It  would  do  you  good  to  look  in 
upon  us  to-night.  We  ate  our  supper  —  a  good  one  —  just 
before  dark,  after  which  the  Major,  Doctor  Johnson,  Lieu 
tenant  Cochran,  Lieutenant  Sibley  and  a  few  others  came 
in  and  seated  themselves  around  as  charming  a  fire  as  you 
ever  saw  in  civilization.  Then  we  ate  apples  and  drank 
cider!  What  do  you  think  of  that?  Let  me  explain.  The 
apples  and  cider  were  'foraged'  to-day.  Then  we  smoked 
and  chatted,  and  finally  the  Major  led  off  in  a  song.  What 


3O  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEETH    O.  V.  1. 

a  splendid  bass  voice  he  has!  Our  fire  is  built  in  a  chim 
ney — all  that  remains  of  a  house  that  once  stood  here. 
Our  tent  is  put  up  close  to  the  chimney,  the  fire-place  open 
ing  into  the  tent.  Orderly  Morrison  says  he  will  put  a 
mantle-piece  up  to-morrow,  and  decorate  it  with  plaster  of 
Paris  angels,  birds,  dogs,  squirrels,  etc.  But  the  mail  has 
arrived,  and  though  it  is  raining  quite  hard,  the  men  are 
running  'about  through  the  camp  following  the  'postmas 
ter.'  Commissary  Sergeant  Walker  has  just  come  dancing 
in,  exclaiming  'a  letter  from  my  wife.'  Here  comes  the 
Orderly  now  with  headquarters  mail,  and  a  letter  is  an 
nounced  for  'the  Colonel,'  another  for  'the  Major,'  and 
so  on  until  nearly  all  of  us  are  supplied.  Then  one  after 
another  went  to  his  own  quarters  to  read  his  letters  from 
home,  and  we  are  alone  with  Waterman  and  the  Orderly 
again.  Nothing  does  a  poor,  forlorn  soldier  so  much  good 
as  a  cheerful  letter  from  home.  A  great  many  of  our 
officers  and  men  left  their  homes  very  unceremoniously,  and 
their  families  were  left  to  do  and  care  for  themselves  almost 
without  notice  or  warning,  and  now,  that  winter  is  coming 
on,  I  can  see  that  a  great  many  of  them  are  in  great  trouble 
about  the  comfort  of  their  families.  A  letter,  assuring  them 
that  all  is  right  and  comfortable  at  home,  removes  many  a 
dark  cloud  and  heavy  trouble.  I  cart  see  its  effect  at  once 
in  their  countenances  and  cheerful  discharge  of  duty." 

We  lay  at  Beverly  until  the  i5th,  when  we  took  an 
early  start  for  Webster,  marching  twenty  miles  the  first 
day,  and  twenty-two  the  next.  On  this  march,  we  passed 
over  the  battle  ground  of  Phillippi.  At  Webster,  our 
wagon  train  was  left  to  go  overland  to  New  Creek  in  care 
of  our  wagon  master,  Hiram  L.  Baker,  while  we,  next  day, 
took  the  cars  on  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad.  A  few, 
days  after  our  arrival  at  New  Creek,  the  men  of  the  regi 
ment  presented  a  field  glass  to  Colonel  Washburn,  Quarter 
master  Sergeant  Lee  making  the  presentation  speech. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  31 

The  Colonel  responded  briefly,  thanking  the  men  for  their 
kindness,  and  remarking  in  closing  that  he  hoped  soon  to 
have  the  opportunity  of  leading  the  Third  Brigade  to  battle 
against  the  enemy.  Up  to  this  time  the  regiment  had  en 
joyed  excellent  health,  but  now  the  measles  broke  out 
among  us  and  in  a  short  time  fully  one-fourth  of  the  regi 
ment  was  prostrated  with  the  disease.  We  met  our  old 
friends  of  "The  Irish  Brigade"  here,  and  acting  on  the 
principle  that  "  friends  are  of  no  use  unless  you  use  them," 
we  induced  Colonel  Mulligan  to  detail  a  number  of  his  best 
drilled  Sergeants  to  drill  our  men,  and  his  Adjutant  to  drill 
our  officers.  The  result  was  most  satisfactory.  On  the 
28th  of  November,  company  H,  in  command  of  Captain 
Teters,  was  sent  to  St.  George,  in  Tucker  County,  with  in 
structions  to  thoroughly  scout  that  vicinity,  and  clear  it  of  a 
band  of  bushwhackers  and  thieves  infesting  it.  He  did  the 
work  thoroughly  and  returned  to  the  regiment  on  the  nth 
of  December.  But  the  measles  in  their  worst  form  had 
been  among  his  men  also,  and  he  was  obliged  to  leave  four 
teen  men  in  hospital  at  St.  George.  We  were,  also,  pretty 
thoroughly  vaccinated  at  New  Creek. 

On  the  1 2th  of  December,  \ve  broke  camp  and  marched 
to  Burlington,  leaving  124  men  in  hospital  at  New  Creek, 
who  were  afterwards  sent  to  the  general  hospital  at  Cum 
berland,  Maryland.  We  lay  at  Burlington  until  the  i7th, 
when  we  started  for  Petersburg,  which  we  reached  on  the 
evening  of  the  i8th,  going  into  camp  in  a  plowed  field,  on 
the  bank  of  the  south  branch  of  the  Potomac.  The  country 
was  now  full  of  rebel  cavalry  and  guerrillas,  and  the  large 
trains  we  had  with  us  had  to  be  heavily  guarded  at  all 
points  to  prevent  their  capture.  Fourteen  teams  were 
allowed  to  a  regiment,  but  in  addition  to  these  sometimes 
nearly  as  many  more  were  "pressed  into  the  service"  to 
carry  the  heavy  knapsacks  of  the  men,  and  the  great  quan 
tities  of  baggage  belonging  to  the  officers.  On  the  march 


32  ONE    HUNDRED   AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

to  Petersburg,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Hunter,  of  the  12  3d, 
becoming  separated  from  his  command,  was  captured  by  a 
single  rebel  who  met  him  with  his  gun  drawn  up.  The 
Colonel  was,  however,  recaptured  in  a  few  moments  after 
wards,  together  with  his  captor.  Captain  Brown  and 
Lieutenant  Cochran  went  out  one  day,  while  we  lay  at 
Petersburg,  beyond  the  picket  lines  foraging  and  were  fired 
upon  by  rebel  cavalry.  It  was  with  the  greatest  effort 
they  escaped  to  camp.  The  boldness  and  strength  of  the 
rebels  in  our  vicinity  caused  the  greatest  vigilance  in  camp 
•and  in  guarding  forage  trains.  On  the  2ist  of  December 
Captain  Teters  and  Lieutenant  Karr  were  sent  out  with 
100  men  on  a  scout,  and  returned  next  day  with  nineteen 
prisoners.  We  had  captured  quite  a  number  of  prisoners, 
up  to  this  time,  and  on  the  23d,  Lieutenant  Mallory  was 
sent  to  escort  them  to  Wheeling.  On  the  28th,  the  n6th, 
a  section  of  battery  D,  ist  West  Virginia  Light  Artillery, 
Lieutenant  Daniels  commanding,  and  a  company  of  cav 
alry  left  Petersburg,  reaching  Moorefield  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  same  day.  There  we  relieved  other  troops  which 
were  ready  to  move  out  on  our  arrival,  accompanied  by 
General  Milroy.  Colonel  Washburn  remained  at  Peters 
burg  with  the  1 23d  Ohio,  a  section  of  the  same  battery 
under  command  of  Lieutenant  Chalfant  and  a  company  or 
two  of  cavalry.  As  the  troops  bound  for  Romney  were 
yet  in  sight  of  our  camp,  the  rebel  Captain  McNeil  made  a 
descent  on  their  train  and  cut  loose  and  ran  off  the  horses 
and  mules  of  thirteen  wagons.  General  Milroy  himself 
was  only  a  short  distance  in  advance  of  the  point  where  the 
train  was  attacked.  The  rebels,  encouraged  by  the  success 
of  their  raids  and  increasing  numbers,  were  constantly 
threatening  our  positions  at  Petersburg  and  Moorefield. 
Union  people  and  "  contrabands  "  had  conveyed  us  informa 
tion  that  the  rebel  forces  were  concentrating  under  General 
Jones  to  capture  these  two  posts.  Petersburg  was  thirteen 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1.  33 

miles  from  Moorefield,  and  the  nearest  point  on  the  other 
side  of  us  was  Romney,  thirty-five  miles  away.  Our  posi 
tion  was,  therefore,  very  critical,  if  attacked  by  a  large 
force.  General  Milroy,  who  had  established  his  headquar 
ters  at  Winchester,  had  nearly  10,000  men,  mostly  new 
regiments,  in  his  command,  but  they  were  scattered  in 
small  bodies  over  a  wide  extent  of  territory,  except  at  Win 
chester,  where  the  main  portion  was  concentrated,  and 
these  very  generally  not  in  supporting  distance  of  each 
other. 

As  soon  as  we  were  fairly  settled  in  camp  at  Moorefield, 
we  began  scouting  the  country,  entrenching,  making  our 
selves  acquainted  with  the  roads,  and  watching  the  move 
ments  of  the  enemy,  especially  in  the  direction  of  Stras- 
burg,  where  we  soon  learned  quite  a  large  force  lay  under 
General  Jones.  Inquiring  by  telegraph  of  General  Milroy 
what  rebel  force  was  at  Strasburg,  he  replied  as  follows: 

"  Dec.  30,  1862. 
"  Lt.  Col.   T.  F.   Wildes,  Moorefleld,    Fa.  : 

"  I  will  take  care  of  the  rebels  at  Strasburg  soon.    If  you  are  attacked,  fight  till 
the  123d  can  come  to  your  relief.    You  can  whip  any  force  that  comes  against  you. 

"R.  H.  MILROY,  Maj.  Gen." 

This  was  encouraging,  at  least.  Moorefield  and  vicin 
ity  was  most  thoroughly  rebel.  Only  five  Union  families 
lived  in  the  place.  The  women  were  exceedingly  insolent 
to  our  soldiers.  A  great  many  of  the  finest  houses  in  the 
place  were  vacant,  whole  families  having  gone  further  south 
to  follow  the  fortunes  of  the  Confederacy.  A  very  fine 
hotel,  with  its  furniture,  carpets  and  fixtures  in  place,  was 
transformed  into  a  hospital.  General  Milroy  ordered  that 
we  subsist  off  those  who  would  not  take  the  oath  of  allegi 
ance  to  the  United  States,  and  to  arrest  and  confine  all  who 
refused  to  take  the  oath.  Upon  notifying  him  of  the  cap 
ture  of  a  notorious  rebel  bushwhacker  living  in  Moorefield, 
he  telegraphed: 


34  °NE    HUNDRED   AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I, 

"Good!  Stick  him  in  jail  and  keep  him  there  till  you 
catch  a  horde  of  them  that  are  about  there,  and  then  send 
them,  with  descriptions  of  their  crimes,  to  Major  Darr,  at 
Wheeling,  Va." 

The  women  becoming  daily  more  and  more  insolent,  we 
determined  to  administer  a  little  discipline  to  them.  Accord 
ingly,  as  one  of  them  tucked  her  clothes  close  about  her  as 
she  was  passing  one  of  our  officers  on  the  sidewalk,  one 
day,  he  politely  took  her  by  the  arm,  and  escorted  her  to 
the  Provost  Marshal's  office,  where  she  was  requested  to 
take  the  oath,  wrhich  she  very  reluctantly  did.  She  then 
departed  "with  her  feathers  all  adroop  like  a  rained-on- 
fowl."  As  she  left  the  office,  however,  she  walked  far  out 
into  the  street  to  avoid  walking  under  the  stars  and  stripes 
floating  from  the  Provost  Marshal's  window.  She  was  at 
once  arrested  again  and  sent  to  Wheeling.  As  usual,  we 
found  the  negroes  all  loyal,  trustworthy  and  vigilant  to  ob 
tain  news  of  importance  to  us.  In  a  letter  written  Decem 
ber  31,  1862,  we  said:  "If  we  are  attacked,  it  will  be 
within  three  days,  and  we  are  almost  sure  to  be."  This 
shows  what  was  expected. 

On  the  morning  of  the  3d  of  January,  1863,  before  it 
was  yet  quite  light,  our  pickets  were  fired  upon  on  the 
Petersburg  road,  and  one  officer,  Lieutenant  Okey,  and 
seventeen  men  taken  prisoners.  We  were  prepared  for  our 
visitors.  The  vigilance  maintained  and  the  state  of  prepar 
ation  kept  up  since  our  arrival  at  Moorefield  found  us  in 
position  for  defence.  The  regiment  numbered  about  650 
men.  General  Jones,  who  attacked  us,  had  about  4,000 
cavalry  and  a  battery  of  artillery.  We  occupied  an  excel 
lent  position  on  rising  ground  east  of  the  village  which  was 
skirted  on  three  sides  by  woods,  or  thick  underbrush,  which 
formed  a  good  cover  for  our  men  and  their  movements. 
The  enemy  first  sent  a  large  body  of  dismounted  men  un 
der  cover  of  his  artillery,  across  the  open  fields  from  the  di- 


ONE   HUNDRED   AND   SIXTEENTH   O.  V.  I.  35 

rection  of  the  Lost  River  road,  down  which  he  had  come. 
Here  he  was  met  by  companies  B,  G  and  F,  and  driven 
back  with  some  loss.  In  a  short  time,  another  attempt  to 
advance  upon  us  was  made  from  the  same  direction.  By 
this  time,  one  of  our  cannon  had  been  planted  in  an  open 
space  in  the  woods,  a  little  in  the  rear  of  the  infantry. 
Allowing  them  to  come  within  a  few  rods  of  the  foot  of  the 
hill,  the  infantry  and  our  one  gun  opened  upon  them  a  well 
directed  fire,  and  put  them  to  flight  a  second  time.  In  a 
few  minutes  after  this,  a  large  force  advanced  from  the  di 
rection  of  the  Winchester  road,  where  they  were  met  by 
companies  E,  C  and  K,  under  command  of  Major  Morris. 
They  were  again  repulsed.  About  the  same  time  a  large 
body  of  mounted  men  advanced  on  the  Petersburg  road 
into  the  village.  Captain  Teters,  with  company  H,  treated 
them  to  some  fine,  vigorous  street  firing,  and  drove  them 
out  again  on  the  run.  In  the  meantime,  their  battery  had 
kept  up  a  rapid  exchange  of  compliments  with  our  two 
guns,  wrhich  were  manned  by  a  brave  and  competent  officer. 
About  10  A.  M.,  the  rebels  drew  off,  and  their  battery  ceased 
firing.  Shortly  after  this,  quite  a  large  body  of  cavalry 
with  one  gun  was  seen  forming  on  the  opposite  side  of 
Moorefield.  One  of  our  guns  was  placed  in  position  to 
meet  this  threatened  attack,  and  company  I  sent  down  to 
reinforce  H.  About  noon  the  enemy  fired  a  shell  from  the 
gun  on  the  opposite  side  of  Moorefield.  While  the  smoke 
was  yet  curling  about  it,  a  shot  from  our  gun  dismounted  it. 
This  was  a  most  lucky  and  remarkable  shot,  and  the  ser 
geant  \vho  fired  it  was  at  once  promoted  to  a  lieutenancy  in 
the  5th  West  Virginia  regiment,  in  which  we  met  him  at  the 
rebel  works  in  front  of  Lynchburg  in  June,  1864.  Com 
pany  A  was  now  sent  down  from  the  hill  to  confront  a 
force  gathering  on  the  Romney  road,  on  our  right,  and  I 
and  C  brought  in  as  a  reserve.  Our  section  of  battery  now 
selected  a  well  protected  spot,  and  began  shelling  in  earnest 


36  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

the  rebel  battery  near  the  Petersburg  road,  soon  disabling 
another  gun.  The  artillery  duel  was  not  of  long  duration, 
before  the  rebel  battery  ceased  and  withdrew.  Matters  re 
mained  very  quiet  now  until  about  3  P.  M.  Whenever  the 
enemy  showed  any  large  number,  we  would  shell  them  and 
drive  them  to  shelter,  and  so  we  watched  their  movements 
closely,  every  moment  expecting  a  charge  from  some  direc 
tion,  for  they  were  all  around  us.  About  this  time  every 
thing  indicated  preparations  for  a  final  dash  upon  us,  from 
all  sides,  with  overwhelming  numbers.  Their  artillery 
opened  fire  afresh,  and  lines  of  skirmishers  advanced  care 
fully  towards  us.  But  just  as  we  were  expecting  their 
lines,  now  in  plain  sight,  to  charge  us,  artillery  was  heard 
out  on  the  road  toward  Petersburg,  and  the  rebel  lines  at 
once  fell  back  from  all  sides.  "What  had  happened?"'  "  Is 
Washburn  coming?"  every  one  inquired.  Field  glasses 
failed  to  detect  any  force  in  that  direction,  but  the  smoke  of 
guns  out  there  could  be  seen  from  our  hill.  Now  we  saw 
shells  exploding  in  the  vicinity  of  the  rebel  battery  which 
we  knew  we  did  not  throw.  We  placed  our  colors  on  a 
commanding  point  in  full  view  of  the  point  from  which  the 
firing  came  on  the  Petersburg  road,  for  we  all  concluded 
these  guns  were,  with  reinforcements,  coming  to  our  relief. 
Our  own  guns  were  opened  afresh  on  the  rebel  battery, 
which  was  now  giving  its  attention  to  these  new  comers, 
and  between  us  it  was  silenced  and  withdrawn.  A  courier 
Was  now  started  to  try  to  get  through  the  rebel  lines,  and 
ascertain  who  our  friends  were,  and  convey  to  them  a  dis 
patch,  containing  suggestions  of  a  combined  movement  for 
the  capture  of  that  portion  of  the  enemy  on  the  opposite 
side  of  Moorefield.  Several  attempts  to  get  through  failed. 
The  enemy  was  in  strong  force  between.  Finally  the  dis 
patch  was  given  to  Hiram  L.  Baker,  and  we  attempted  to 
clear  a  way  for  him  with  our  artillery.  He  was  successful, 
and  at  the  same  time  a  courier  came  through  to  us  who  an- 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  37 

nounced  that  Colonel  Washburn  was  there  with  his  force 
from  Petersburg.  We  then  moved  a  portion  of  our  regi 
ment  out  to  intercept  the  rebels  on  the  other  side  of  Moore- 
field,  but  without  attempting  to  rejoin  General  Jones  on  the 
Lost  River  road,  they  retreated  over  the  mountains  and  es 
caped,  taking  with  them  Elmer  Armstrong,  our  sutler, 
whom  they  had  captured  at  the  house  of  Major  Harness, 
where  he  had  gone  with  the  view  of  concealing  some  of  his 
money  and  goods.  Major  Harness  was  an  old  acquaint 
ance  of  Mr.  Armstrong,  they  having  had  dealings  in  cattle 
before  the  war.  After  taking  him  away  several  miles,  they 
released  him  and  the  next  day  he  returned  to  us  at  Moore- 
field  in  a  terribly  dilapidated  condition.  Being  a  "  Bible 
Democrat''  did  not  shield  Mr.  Armstrong  from  misusage 
and  insult  at  the  hands  of  his  captors.  He  was  listened  to 
with  great  interest  by  the  men  in  his  relation  of  the  sad  ex 
perience  he  had  in  riding  a  raw-boned,  bare-backed  horse 
for  several  miles  on  the  run,  and  then  being  released  to  find 
his  way  back  through  the  mountains  on  foot.  The  12 3d 
Ohio  and  the  rest  of  the  Petersburg  troops  joined  us  at 
Moorefield  before  night,  the  rebels  retreating  over  the  Lost 
River  road.  They  were  without  tents,  blankets  or  cooking- 
utensils,  and  the  n6th  boys  were  only  too  happy  to  supply 
them  with  everything  necessary  to  their  comfort  during  the 
night,  for  we  felt  that  they  had  without  doubt  saved  us 
either  a  severe  and  bloody  fight,  or  capture,  and  perhaps 
both.  Our  loss  was  three  men  wounded  by  fragments  -of 
shell,  and  twenty  prisoners.  Corporal  Wm.  Scott,  of  com 
pany  I,  was  wounded  in  the  shoulder  by  a  fragment  of  shell, 
being  the  first  man  in  the  regiment  wounded  in  battle- 
Two  others  were  slightly  wounded,  whose  names  we  cannot 
ascertain.  The  prisoners  were  Lieutenant  Henry  Okey, 
company  D;  Sergeant  Benjamin  Sheffield,  company  K; 
Rawley  Ausburg,  company  K;  Byron  Battin,  company  K; 
Wm.  H,  Brown,  company  K;  Abraham  Butterworth,  com- 


38  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

pany  K;  Joseph  Cullison,  company  K;  David  Gross,  com 
pany  K;  Asa  Ladd,  company  K;  Isaiah  Matheny,  company 
K;  William  Robinett,  company  K;  George  Sigler,  company 
K;  Daniel  F.  Weddle,  company  K;  John  Wilkinson,  com 
pany  K;  Corporal  Harrison  Cochran,  company  E;  Corporal 
Andrew  W.  Henthorn,  company  E;  Adam  H.  Ollam,  com 
pany  E;  John  J.  Walter,  company  E;  Robert  J.  Hathaway, 
company  E;  Samuel  Luthey,  company  E.  Lieutenant 
Henry  Okey,  who  was  captured  that  morning,  had  tendered 
his  resignation  some  time  before,  and  it  was  accepted  only 
the  day  before  his  capture.  The  order  for  his  discharge 
had  not,  however,  yet  reached  the  regiment.  As  soon  as  it 
did  reach  it,  the  information  was  duly  sent  to  the  rebel  au 
thorities,  and  he  was  soon  after  released.  Lieutenant  Okey 
was  too  old  a  man  for  the  service,  and  its  hardships  soon 
broke  down  his  health.  But  he  was  a  patriotic,  good  man, 
and  his  heart  was  in  the  cause.  He  would  gladly  have  re 
mained  with  us  had  his  health  permitted. 

The  next  day  Colonel  Mulligan  arrived  with  his  "Irish 
Brigade  "  and  O'Rourke's  battery,  and  the  day  after  his  ar 
rival  our  whole  force  moved  up  the  Lost  River  road  sev 
eral  miles.  We  found  abundant  evidence  of  the  haste  with 
which  the  enemy  retreated  on  the  3d.  Ascertaining  that 
they  had  moved  as  far  south  as  Staunton,  we  returned  to 
Moorefield  the  same  evening.  There  was  no  use  in  infan 
try  trying  to  catch  up  with  cavalry.  General  Milroy,  Col 
onel  Mulligan  and  Colonel  Washburn  commended  the  n6th 
very  highly  for  the  defense  it  made  of  Mooretield  against 
the  vastly  superior  numbers  of  the  enemy,  which  we  after 
ward  learned  numbered  over  4,000  cavalry  and  six  pieces 
of  artillery.  Mr.  Armstrong  said  that  when  he  told  them 
our  strength,  they  called  him  a  "d  —  d  old  Yankee  liar," 
and  claimed  that  we  had  at  least  three  regiments  of  infantry 
and  a  battery  of  artillery.  It  was  fortunate  for  us  that  they 
thought  so,  fos  had  their  whole  force  attacked  us  at  once, 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  39 

we  could  not  hope  to  have  successfully  resisted  them. 
Though  this  was  the  first  time  the  n6th  was  under  fire,  it 
behaved  splendidly.  Up  to  this  time  there  had  been  a  good 
deal  of  grumbling  at  the  strict  discipline  maintained  and  the 
constant  drilling  kept  up.  All  now  hastened  to  acknowl 
edge  the  benefit  of  this,  and  from  that  time  on  the  men  of 
the  1 1 6th  were  never  heard  to  complain  of  drill  or  disci 
pline.  The  day  following  the  battle,  General  Milroy  sent  us 
the  following  message : 

WINCHESTER,  VA.,  Jan.  4,  1863. 
"  Lt.  Col.   T.  F.    Wilder  Moorefield,    Va.  : 

"  Accept  my  congratulations  and  thanks,  yourself  and  your  gallant  command, 
tor  the  courage  and  skill  with  which  you  defended  your  post  against  such  over 
whelming  numbers  of  the  enemy.  I  thought  I  was  not  mistaken  when  I  told  you, 
Dec.  30th,  '  you  can  whip  any  force  that  c©mes  against  you.'  I  bespeak  for  you 
and  your  noble  regiment  a  glorious  record. 

"  R.  H.  MILROY,  Maj.  Gen'l  Commanding." 

No    compliment    paid    us    during    the    war    was    more 
highly  appreciated  and  none  more  deserving. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    MARCH     TO    ROMNEY THE     WINTER    AT     ROMNEY A 

FORAGE     TRAIN     UNDER    CAPTAIN     BROWN     CAPTURED  — 
PAROLES A    BAD    STATE    OF    FEELING PATRIOTIC     AC 
TION    OF    THE    REGIMENT THE  MARCH  TO  WINCHESTER. 

On  the  2Oth  of  January  we  left  Moorefield  for  Romney. 
Sergeant  Charles  P.  Allison  and  Carmi  Allison,  of  com 
pany  K,  and  Sergeant  Robert  G.  Wells  and  D.  J.  Haning, 
of  company  G,  remained  behind  for  some  purpose,  as  we 
moved  out  of  Moorefield,  and  were  captured  by  the  enemy, 
who  occupied  it  as  soon  as  our  rear  guard  left,  and  while  it 
was  yet  in  sight  of  the  town.  These  men  were  all  paroled. 
On  our  march  we  were  accompanied  by  a  great  many  col 
ored  people  fleeing  from  slavery.  The  threatened  proclam 
ation,  liberating  the  slaves,  had  been  issued,  on  the  first  of 
January,  by  President  Lincoln,  and  though  West  Virginia 
had  been  excepted  from  its  provisions,  the  colored  people 
did  not  know  it.  They  only  knew  that  an  emancipation 
proclamation  had  been  issued  by  the  President,  and,  hence 
they  flocked  into  Moorefield  in  large  numbers  during  the 
night  before  we  moved,  colored  people  inside  our  lines 
having  sent  the  news  of  our  intended  movement  next  morn 
ing  to  a  great  distance  outside.  It  snowed  hard  the  first 
day,  it  was  very  cold,  and  the  roads  were  about  as  bad  as 
they  could  well  be.  Toward  the  middle  of  the  afternoon, 
two  colored  women  were  given  a  ride  by  the  hospital  stew 
ard.  Somehow  the  incident,  which  was  thought  nothing 
of,  got  home  in  the  shape  that  "Colonel  Washburn  and 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  4! 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes  had  turned  sick  men  out  of  their 
ambulances  and  put  niggers  in  to  ride."  The  story  lost 
nothing  by  repetition  and  traveling,  and  soon  assumed  very 
ugly  proportions.  Finally  the  officers  of  the  regiment 
united,  in  a  card  to  the  press,  explaining  the  silly  story, 
which  squelched  it.  We  here  reproduce  the  card  of  the 
officers: 

Editor  Messenger,  Athens  : 

Our  object  in  addressing  you,  is  to  publish  an  extract  from  a  letter  from  one  of 
our  friends  in  Athens,  and  set  the  matter  it  contains  in  its  true  light  before  your 
readers.  The  extract  is  as  follows : 

"Letters  written  home,  either  by  the  line  officers  or  privates,  all  have  their 
effect  on  public  opinion.  We  have  had  some  experimental  facts  in  the  case,  and 
some  of  them  I  must  take  the  liberty  of  asking  you  to  give  me  the  truth  of,  as  the 
stories  sent  home  by  one  or  two  writers,  and  circulated  by  their  friends,  demand 
immediate  attention  if  not  true;  if  true,  I  would  like  to  know  it,  as  your  humble 
servant  and  your  friends  here  have  pronounced  them  lies.  I  have  been  to!d  by 
Reed  Golden  that  his  brother  John  had  written  to  his  father,  that  while  your 
Regiment  was  on  a  march,  some  three  or  four  contraband  negroes  were  found  coming 
into  your  lines  and  asked  protection;  whereupon  Colonel  Washburn  ordered  some 
sick  boys  that  were  riding  in  an  ambulance  to  get  out,  and  put  the  contrabands  in  to  ride, 
and  that  a  private  had  written  home  to  his  father  that  the  contraband  negroes  were 
wenches,  and  that  Lieut.  Col.  Wildes  ordered  the  sick  boys  out  and  let  the  negroes 
ride." 

The  undersigned,  officers  of  the  116th  Reg't  O.  V.  I.,  are  acquainted  with  the 
circumstances  that  gave  rise  to  the  story  above  mentioned,  and  we  do  hereby 
pronounce  it  an  unmitigated  lie,  and  we  brand  any  man  as  an  unprincipled  liar  who 
would  be  so  lost  to  every  sense  of  manliness  as  to  construe  what  did  occur,  to  make 
it  appear  as  represented  by  "Reed  Golden"  and  said  "private." 

The  facts  in  the  case  are  simply  these:  When  our  Regiment  left  Moorefield  two 
female  contrabands,  desiring,  it  seems,  to  leave  their  good  masters,  came  within 
our  lines  and  started  on  foot,  in  company  with  a  few  other  contrabands,  in  the  wake 
of  our  Regiment.  The  hospital  steward,  who  was  driving  an  ambulance  full  of  sick 
soldiers,  overtook  them  and  kindly  asked  them  to  ride  on  the  driver's  seat,  where 
sick  soldiers  cannot  very  well  ride,  and  could  not,  especially  that  day,  as  it  was 
storming.  Neither  Col.  Washburn  nor  Lieut.  Col.  Wildes  knew  that  said  contrabands 
were  riding,  and  we  say,  under  the  circumstances,  "  what  if  they  did?"  The  two 
females  brought  through  on  that  march  are  now  doing  good  service  in  the  hospital 
of  the  regiment— one  being  an  excellent  cook,  the  other  a  laundress. 

JOHN  HULL,  Capt.  Co.  K.  H.  L.  KARR,  1st.  Lieut.  Com'g  Co.  G. 

LEVI  LUPTON,  2d.  Lieut.  Co.  C.  MATHEW  BROWN,  Capt.  Co.  F. 

W.  S.  MARTIN,  Lieut.  Co.  F.  W.  R.  GILKEY,  Surgeon  116th. 

JAS.  P.  MANN,  1st.  Lieut.  Co.  C.  T.  MALLORY,  1st.  Lieut.  Co.  B. 

E.  W.  BRADY,  Chaplain  116th.  EDWIN  KEYES,  Capt.  Co.  B. 

C.  W.  RIDGEWAY,  Capt.  Co.  A.  A.  B.  FRAME,  Lieut.  Com'g  Co.  I. 

H.  L.  SIBLEY,  2d.  Lieut.  Co.  B.  R.  F.  CHANEY,  2d.  Lieut.  Co.  D. 

WM.  MYERS,  Capt.  Co.  D.  F.  H.  ARCKENOE,  Capt.  Co.  C. 
JOHN  VARLEY,  Capt.  Co.  E. 


42  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

Of  this  matter  Jesse  VanLaw,  the  editor  .of  the  "  Athens 
Messenger,"  said: 

"  We  need  not  say  that  we  never  believed  this  report,  as  the  enemies  ot  Col. 
Wildes,  as  well  as  his  friends,  will  agree  that  no  man  in  Athens  County  has  excelled 
him  in  kindness  and  care  for  the  sick  and  hungry  .soldiers  that  came  to  this  place, 
while  he  resided  in  it.  The  idea  that  he  would  turn  out  the  sick  o1  his  own  command 
to  allow  any  body  to  ride  is  absurd  to  any  one  not  gone  stark  mad  with  '  nigger 
phobia  '." 

In  justice  to  Captain  Golden,  we  should  state  here,  that 
he  positively  denied  writing  anything  of  the  kind  to  any 
body,  and  even  if  he  had  not  denied  it,  we  would  never  have 
believed  that  he  did.  Looking  back  to  this  from  the  midst 
of  our  changed  condition,  what  was  then  thought  of  suffi 
cient  importance  for  all  the  officers  of  a  regiment  to  stop  to 
explain,  looks  now  verv  ridiculous  and  absurd.  Yet  such 
was  then  the  bitter  prejudice  against  the  colored  people, 
that  their  action  seemed  not  only  advisable,  but  really  neces 
sary,  in  order  to  relieve  the  public  mind  from  the  impression 
gained  that  the  u6th  had  officers  who  would  throw  their 
sick  men  out  of  ambulances  to  make  room  for  "niggers." 
Such  were  the  absurdities  some  people  were  ready  to  be 
lieve,  whenever  the  "nigger"  was  involved  in  the  story. 

When  we  camped  at  the  end  of  the  first  day's  march, 
there  was  a  foot  of  snow  on  the  ground,  and  the  "top  rails" 
in  our  vicinity  were  rapidly  consumed.  We  reached  Rom- 
ney  the  next  day,  the  nth  of  January.  We  lay  here  two 
months  and  were  constantly  engaged  in  drilling,  foraging 
and  picketing.  On  the  i8th  day  of  January,  a  four  days' 
mail  was  captured  by  a  party  of  twenty-five  guerrillas,  be 
tween  Romney  and  the  railroad.  It  was  the  result  of  a 
most  disgraceful  piece  of  carelessness  on  the  part  of  a  cav 
alry  escort.  A  few  days  after  this,  a  soldier  of  company  I 
came  to  headquarters,  and  wanted  to  be  authorized  to  act  as 
a  scout,  and  thus  be  able  to  convey  news  of  the  proximity 
of  rebel  bands  in  time  to  avoid  such  attacks  and  surprises 
as  the  one  just  mentioned.  After  some  conversation,  he  was 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  43 

asked  if  he  thought  he  could  deceive  the  rebels  as  to  his 
identity  in  case  of  his  capture.  After  a  moment's  reflection 
he  replied:  "I  guess  I  can,  I  have  deceived  everyone  I 
have  ever  had  anything  to  do  with  so  far  in  life."  He  was 
given  the  authority  to  scowt,  and  some  days  afterward  was 
found  at  a  house  close  by  the  picket  line,  where  he  had 
been  all  this  time  "sparking"  a  girl.  His  authority  to 
scout  was.  revoked,  but  his  ability  to  "deceive"  remained 
unquestioned  ever  afterwards. 

A  most  disgraceful  affair  took  place  here  on  the  i6th  of 
February.  Captain  Brown,  of  company  F,  with  his  com 
pany  and  some  cavalry,  all  under  his  command,  when  about 
seven  miles  from  Romney  on  their  return  from  a  foraging 
expedition,  with  a  loaded  train,  allowed  his  men  to  straggle 
and  wander  about  the  country,  thus  leaving  the  train  un 
protected.  He  and  his  Lieutenant,  Martin,  were  riding 
quite  a  distance  in  front  of  the  train,  giving  it  no  attention 
whatever.  In  this  situation  the  rebel  McNeil,  with  about 
forty  mounted  men,  dashed  in  between  Captain  Brown  and 
his  train,  and  captured  it  and  his  men  in  detail,  without  any 
resistance.  The  men  were  all  paroled,  the  horses  and 
mules  cut  loose  from  the  wagons  and  their  loads  burned. 
Captain  Brown  ran  off  at  full  speed  to  camp,  never  making 
even  the  slightest  attempt  to  join  his  men,  or  avert  this  dis 
aster.  McNeil  took  about  sixty  prisoners,  fifty  horses  and 
eight  mules,  and  beat  a  hasty  retreat,  and  though  followed, 
as  soon  as  the  news  reached  the  camp,  by  a  large  body  of 
cavalry,  he  made  good  his  escape  with  all  his  capture,  ex 
cept  the  prisoners,  whom  he  paroled.  He  sent  word  to 
Captain  Brown  by  the  paroled  prisoners  to  send  him  out 
his  shoulder  straps.  The  affair  aroused  the  greatest  indig 
nation,  and  Captain  Brown  and  Lieutenant  Martin  were 
placed  in  arrest.  Charges  were  preferred  against  them,  and 
they  were  tried  by  a  court  martial  and  acquitted  with  a 
public  reprimand!  It  is  proper,  in  justice  to  Lieutenant 


44  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

Martin  and  the  members  of  company  F,  to  say,  that  they 
thoroughly  redeemed  themselves  in  their  subsequent  con 
duct,  and  that  the  responsibility  of  the  whole  affair  wholly 
rested  upon  Captain  Brown.  No  braver  officer  belonged  to 
the  1 1 6th  than  Lieutenant  Martin  afterwards  proved  him 
self;  and  no  company  of  men  did  any  more  gallant  service 
than  company  F  performed  throughout  its  term  of  service. 
Of  Captain  Brown,  more  will  appear  hereafter.  Lieutenant 
Sibley  was  Judge  Advocate  of  the  court  martial  here.  At 
Romney  Captains  Ridgeway,  Fuller  and  Golden,  Lieuten 
ants  McElfresh  and  Sears,  and  Assistant  Surgeon  James 
Johnson  resigned,  all  on  account  of  failing  health. 

Quite  a  despondent  and  unpatriotic  feeling  extensively 
prevailed  among  the  men  at  this  post  during  this  winter, 
and  large  numbers  procured  themselves  to  be  captured  by 
guerrillas  and  paroled.  On  being  paroled  they  \vould,  on 
their  own  responsibility,  go  home,  or  on  returning  to  camp, 
refuse  to  do  duty.  Suspicion  led  to  an  investigation,  \vhich 
developed  the  fact,  that  rebel  citizens  in  the  vicinity  kept  on 
hand  paroles,  signed  by  guerrilla  chiefs,  and  that  the  men, 
aware  of  this,  were  in  the  habit  of  going  out  and  getting 
them,  sometimes  paying  for  them  in  coffee,  sugar,  etc. 
There  seemed  to  be  an  understanding  established  between 
our  soldiers  and  the  rebels.  Paroles  became  as  common,  at 
one  time,  as  sutler's  checks,  and  the  uncomfortable  feeling 
that  this  state  of  affairs  created  among  officers  can  hardly 
be  imagined.  It  was  determined  to  put  a  stop  to  it  at  all 
hazards,  for  it  was  simply  another  way  of  deserting.  Ac 
cordingly,  orders  were  sent  home  to  cause  the  arrest  and  re 
turn  of  all  soldiers,  in  \vhose  possession  were  found  paroles 
and  no  furloughs^  and  all  in  camp  were  armed  and  returned 
to  duty.  Paroles  soon  became  a  badge  of  cowardice,  and 
\vhen  once  thus  branded  by  the  better  class  of  soldiers,  the 
business  suddenly  came  to  an  end.  This  was  a  shrewd 
scheme  on  the  part  of  the  rebels  to  deplete  our  army.  Had 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  45 

they  sent  their  prisoners  to  Libby  and  Belle  Isle,  the  terrors 
of  prison  life  would  have  been  in  their  minds,  but  so  far 
from  this  being  the  case,  the  paroled  prisoners  had  the  pic 
ture  of  a  pleasant,  indefinite  visit  to  their  home  and  friends 
held  before  their  eyes,  and  in  the  home-sick  condition  of 
many,  this  was  a  temptation  too  strong  to  resist.  When 
Captain  Brown's  train  guard  was  attacked,  McNeil  cried 
out  to  the  men,  before  either  side  fired  a  gun,  "I  don't  want 
to  hurt  you,  throw  down  your  arms  and  I'll  parole  every 
devil  of  you  and  you  can  go  home."  This  was  the  policy 
pursued  by  the  rebels  all  through  that  part  of  West  Vir 
ginia  during  the  winter  of  1862  and  '63,  and  it  did  us  far 
more  harm  than  to  have  sent  their  prisoners  off  to  the  rebel 
prisons  of  the  South  would  have  done.  We  have  said  that 
probably  while  we  lay  at  Gallipolis  in  the  fall  of  1862  was 
the  darkest  and  gloomiest  period  of  the  war.  Perhaps  the 
time  we  lay  at  Romney  ought  to  be  excepted.  During  this 
period  the  disloyal  element  of  the  North  exercised  its  most 
baneful  influence,  and  its  greatest  sway  over  the  minds  of 
the  soldiers,  and  no  one  had  any  doubt  that  the  policy  of 
paroling  our  soldiers  originated  with  and  was  suggested  to 
the  rebels  by  Northern  rebel  sympathizers.  Letters  advis 
ing  soldiers  to  desert  often  came  to  camp.  In  these  letters, 
rebel  victories  were  magnified,  and  Union  victories  dispar 
aged,  and  we  were  hearing  on  all  sides  that  we  could  never 
quell  the  rebellion.  Seeing  the  poisonous  effect  of  such 
letters  and  newspapers  upon  the  minds  of  the  men,  General 
Milroy  suppressed  a  few  papers,  notably  the  "Wheeling 
Register,"  and  it  was  threatened  to  suppress  the  mails 
altogether,  if  such  letters  and  papers  continued  coming  to 
our  camps.  A  general  meeting  of  officers  and  men  was 
finally  held  in  February,  at  which  a  stirring  address  appeal 
ing  to  the  patriotism  of  the  Northern  people  was  adopted, 
together  with  a  series  of  resolutions  deprecating,  in  strong 
terms,  the  course  pursued  by  disloyal  men  in  the  North, 


46 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 


urging  the  loyal  people  everywhere  to  take  new  heart,  to 
stand  up  fearlessly  for  the  cause  of  the  Union,  and  to  do  all 
in  their  power  to  encourage  the  army  in  the  field.  This 
address  and  these  resolutions  were  published  throughout 
the  counties  in  Ohio  in  which  the  regiment  was  raised,  and 
the  effect  was  soon  made  visible  in  the  advanced  morale 
and  temper  of  the  men.  We  here  copy  the  resolutions. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  officers  of  the  116th  Regiment  O.  V.  1.,  held  on  the  evening 
of  the  10th  inst,  at  Romney,  West  Virginia,  the  following  officers  were  appointed  a 
committee  to  dralt  resolutions  expressive  of  the  sentiments  of  the  officers  and  men 
of  said  Regiment,  viz:  Lieut.  Col.  Thos.  F.Wildes,  Captain  John  Varley,  Captain 
Wm.  Myers  and  Lieutenant  Hamilton  L.  Karr. 

The  committee  reported  on  the  evening  of  the  12th  inst,  the  following  preamble 
and  resolutions,  which  were  adopted  by  every  officer  on  duty  with  the  Regiment. 
On  the  following  day  they  were  read  to  the  Regiment  while  on  battallion  drill,  when 
not  one  man  dissented,  but  all  adopted  them  with  a  deafening  AYE  ! 

WHEREAS,  We,  the  officers  and  men  of  the  Hfith  Regiment  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry, 
firmly  believing  in  the  justice  and  holiness  of  the  cause  in  which  we  are  .engaged, 
and  solemnly  avowing  our  purpose  anew  of  fighting  its  battles  till  the  last  rebel  in 
arms  is  laid  low  at  the  foot  of  our  glorious  banner  of  Light  and  Liberty,  do, 
therefore — 

Resolve,  That  nothing  but  "  unconditional  surrender  "  will  answer  the  demands  of  the 
true  soldier  and  patriot. 

Resolved,  That  we  are  still  actuated  by  the  same  motives  that  induced  us  to  first  lift 
our  arms  against  rebellion  ;  that  we  are,  mindful,  and  believe,  that  service  rendered  to 
our  country  is  service  rendered  to  our  God,  whose  boon  our  country  is  to  a  people 
determined  to  be  FREE,  and,  with  these  convictions  to  inspire  us,  we  will  war  against 
treason  till  its  last  vestige  is  swept  to  its  native  hell,  with  a  devotion  unfelt  and 
unknown  by  any  but  the  true  soldier. 

Resolved,  That  we  will  hail  with  feelings  of  delight  the  dawning  of  PEACE  ;  but  we  can 
think  of  no  peace  worth  haying  short  of  crushing  out  the  rebellion,  and  the  complete 
restoration  of  the  authority  of  the  Government  over  every  foot  of  her  soil,  East,  West 
North  and  South. 

Resolved,  That  we,  as  a  loyal  soldiery,  acknowledge  the  Administration  the  medium 
through  which  the  destruction  of  the  rebellion  is  to  be  made  effectual ;  and  that  we  owe 
it  to  all  we  hold  sacred  in  our  blood  bought,  free  institutions,  to  give  it  such  support  as 
will  enable  us  to  hand  down  to  generations  to  come,  intact,  this  glorious  Union  of  ours. 

Resolved,  That  any  party,  or  set  of  men  who,  by  factious  opposition  to  the 
Administration,  the  Government,  or  the  prosecution  of  the  war,  injure  our  noble  cause, 
will  meet  with  overwhelming  and  popular  indignation  from  the  soldiery  both  noiv  and 

HEREAFTER. 

Resolved,  That  we  hear  with  regret,  though  with  hearts  full  of  condemnation  and 
repudiation,  the  murmunngs,  and  insane,  disloyal  conduct  of  the  "  copperheads  " — so 
called  by  the  soldiers — in  our  loyal  and  gallant  State. 

Resolved,  That  we  regard  the  efforts  of  these  "copperheads"  in  Ohio  to  demoralize 
the  army  by  writing  treasonable  letters  to  the  soldiers  in  the  field,  urging  them  to 
desert  their  flag,  misrepresenting  the  Administration  and  the  objects  of  the  war,  much 
of  which  is  done  to  cover  up  their  own  cowardice  and  justify  their  treason,  as  unworthy 
American  citizens,  and  as  more  heinous  and  execrable  than  the  efforts  of  armed  rebels 
who  meet  us  in  deadly  conflict  on  the  battle-field. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  47 

Resolved,  That  we  regard  any  attempt  to  injure  or  depreciate  the  value  ol  the 
currency  of  the  Government — in  which  the  soldier  is  paid — as  a  direct  blow  at  the 
soldier  and  his  family,  and  a  stab  at  the  very  vitals  of  the  Government  itself,  conduct 
of  which  no  one  friendly  to  the  perpetuation  of  our  free  institutions  and  the  restoration 
of  the  union  of  the  States  would  be  guilty. 

Resolved,  That  we  regard  the  prospects  of  a  speedy  termination  of  the  war  resulting 
in  the  utter  discomfiture  and  the  consequent  overthrow  of  the  rebellion,  as  bright  and 
encouraging— all  the  boasts  of  rebels  and  the  sneers  and  jeers  of  "  copperheads  "  to  the 
contrary  notwithstanding. 

WM.  MYERS,  President. 

H.  L.  KARR,  Secretary. 

ROMNEY,  WEST  VIRGINIA,  Feb.  12,  1863. 

The  January  proclamation  of  emancipation  had  added 
much  to  this  bad  state  of  feeling  in  the  army  and  among 
the  people.  For  a  time,  party  spirit  was  so  excited,  that  it 
was  feared  that  the  North  itself  might  become  the  scene  of 
civil  strife.  But  now  the  army  everywhere  began  to  ex 
press  itself  upon  the  state  of  affairs.  In  the  same  month 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  had  a  monster  meeting  at 
Murfreesboro,  at  which  an  address  was  adopted,  containing 
a  powerful  appeal  to  the  patriotic  people  of  the  land  "to 
stay,  support,  and  uphold  the  hands  of  the  soldiers,"  and  de 
nouncing  in  unmeasured  terms  those  who  were  clamoring 
for  "peace  on  any  terms."  While  the  storm  of  passion  was 
at  its  height,  threatening  the  safety  of  the  country,  there 
came  a  sudden  lull,  calming  popular  agitation  and  allaying 
factional  discord.  The  Government,  just  before  tottering 
under  the  tumult  of  contending  parties,  now  suddenly  re 
sumed  its  firmness,  sustained  by  the  steady  support  of  the 
people.  This  surprising  change,  as  surprising  to  one  side 
as  the  other,  and  as  mysterious  as  the  varying  phenomena 
of  nature,  was  accompanied  by  circumstances  which  as 
tounded  the  whole  country.  Popular  leaders  who  but  a 
few  days  before  had  denounced  the  "radical"  policy  of  the 
Government  as  fatal  to  the  cause  of  the  Union,  and  coun 
selled  opposition,  now  praised  the  one  and  deprecated  the 
other.  Many  attempts  were  made  to  solve  the  mystery  of 
this  sudden  and  remarkable  change.  Some  attributed  it  to 


4$  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  f. 

the  stand  taken  by  the  army  against  opposition  to  the  Gov 
ernment;  some  to  the  scorn  with  which  the  enemy  had 
treated  rebel  sympathizers  in  the  North;  some  to  a  discreet 
fear  of  an  Executive,  endowed  with  almost  absolute  power, 
and  now  thoroughly  determined  to  exercise  every  mite  of 
his  power,  to  the  work  of  crushing  out  the  rebellion;  while 
the  real  explanation  of  this  sudden  political  conversion  was 
doubtless  attributable  to  the  patriotic  notion  of  checking,  the 
rising  anarchy  by  a  sacrifice  of  personal  opinion  to  the  gen 
eral  welfare.  But  whatever  caused  the  mysterious  change, 
the  fact  of  the  change  itself  remained,  to  be  seen  and  felt  on 
every  hand.  Patriotic  letters  and  counsels  took  the  place 
of  the  late  seditious  and  treasonable  ones,  and  soon  not  a 
vestige  of  the  unpatriotic  feeling  we  have  mentioned  was 
any  where  to  be  found.  It  was  as  dead  as  the  same  men 
helped  to  make  the  rebellion  within  the  next  two  years. 
And  from  that  time  forward  the  people  and  the  army  were 
one  harmonious  whole,  and  both  labored  in  perfect  accord 
and  unison  to  accomplish  the  overthrow  of  the  rebellion  and 
the  restoration  of  the  Union.  With  the  disappearance  of 
this  state  of  feeling,  the  slumbering  fires  of  patriotism  were 
kindled  anew,  and  every  one  went  about  the  discharge  of 
his  duty  in  the  good  work  before  him  with  a  renewed  zeal 
and  a  firmer  determination  than  ever. 

February  i7th  Private  Amos  S.  Byers,  of  company  C, 
was  instantly  killed  by  the  accidental  discharge  of  a  mus 
ket.  It  created  a  great  sensation  in  the  regiment,  and 
caused  greater  care  of  arms  ever  afterwards.  Byers  was  a 
good  man  and  an  excellent  soldier,  and  his  sad  death  was 
greatly  mourned.  The  headquarters  of  the  regiment  were 
in  a  large  brick  house  while  we  lay  at  Romney,  and  having 
plenty  of  fuel  and  rations  and  good  sleeping  apartments,  we 
passed  the  time  very  comfortably.  No  happier  military 
family  could  be  found  anywhere  than  ours.  Major  Morris, 
Adjutant  Sibley,  Quartermaster  Cochran,  Sergeant  Major 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  49 

Ellis,  Commissary  Sergeant  Walker  and  Acting  Quarter 
master  Sergeant  Campbell,  Clerk  Waterman  and  Orderly 
Webster  formed  a  happy  party.  Several  of  them  were 
good  singers.  One  or  two  good  fiddlers  were  generally 
about.  Sibley,  for  drollery  and  comic  speaking  and  story 
telling,  excelled,  and  when  all  other  duties  were  performed, 
the  ennui  of  camp  life  was  kept  very  far  away  from  those 
quarters  by  genuine  fun  and  amusement.  From  one  of  the 
numerous  letters  written  from  Romney,  we  make  the  fol 
lowing  extract  as  showing  the  enjoyments  of  headquarters: 
"In  the  Adjutant's  office  just  now  is  heard  the  swreet 
sounds  of  the  violin, -and  the  Major's  strong  bass  voice  with 
the  Sergeant  Major's  fine  tenor,  while,  overhead,  in  the 
Quartermaster's  room,  is  heard  the  fun  and  frolic  of  Lee, 
Walker  and  Campbell,  and  the  useless  protests  of  the  mat 
ter-of-fact  old  Quartermaster.  I  would  like  to  take  this 
whole  headquarters  crew  home  with  me  and  show  them  to 
you.  You  would  think  us  wild  barbarians  no  doubt,  and 
it  is  more  than  likely  we  have  all  forgotten  the  ways  of  civ 
ilized  life,  but  we  are  all  apt  scholars,  and  with  good 
teachers  would  soon  learn  them  again."  But  the  founda 
tion  of  the  future  good  record  of  the  regiment  was  also  laid 
at  Romney  in  study,  drill,  officers'  and  non-commissioned 
schools,  and  in  the  preservation  of  excellent  discipline.  On 
the  1 5th  of  March  we  moved  from  Romney  for  Winches 
ter,  reaching  there  on  the  lyth. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

AT    WINCHESTER A    NEW    BRIGADE    COMMANDER SCOUTS 

AND     MARCHES DEATH     OF     DR.     GILKEY BATTLE     OF 

WINCHESTER,  JUNE    I2TII,    I3TII  AND   I4TII,  AND  BUNKER 
HILL,  JUNE    I3TH — THE    RETREAT    AND    BATTLE    IN    THE 

NIGHT ESCAPE    OF    MILROY's    ARMY    FROM    LEE OVER 

IN     PENNSYLVANIA    AND     MARYLAND LIST    OF    KILLED, 

WOUNDED  AND  PRISONERS BACK    TO  MARTINSBURG A 

WORD  IN  DEFENSE  OF  GENERAL  MILROY. 

We  were  now  brigaded  anew  and  placed  under  com 
mand  of  Brigadier  General  W.  S.  Elliott.  The  brigade 
consisted  of  the  noth,  n6th,  i22d  and  1 23d  Ohio  infantry 
regiments,  the  i2th  and  i3th  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  and  Bat 
tery  L,  5th  U.  S.  artillery,  a  very  strong  brigade,  but  a  cu 
rious  mixture  of  arms.  This  returned  Colonel  Washburn, 
Adjutant  Ballard,  Quartermaster  Williams  and  Quarter 
master  Sergeant  Lee  to  their  regiment,  and  Lieutenant 
Sibley,  and  Lieutenant  Cochran,  and  Corporal  Campbell  to 
their  companies.  It  would  be  hard  to  find  words  to  ex 
press  how  well  these  three  men  —  Sibley,  Cochran  and 
Campbell  —  discharged  the  duties  assigned  them  at  Buch 
anan.  Each  man  was  exactly  the  right  man  in  the  right 
place,  and  they  now  returned  to  their  respective  companies 
with  the  good  will  of  everybody  and  with  the  assurance 
that  they  had  faithfully  and  efficiently  done  their  work. 
On  the  ist  of  April  the  enlisted  men  of  the  regiment  pur- 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  5! 

chased  a  fine  sword  for  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes,  which, 
on  account  of  an  injury  he  had  received,  was  not  formally 
presented  to  him  until  the  last  of  May.  It  bore  the  en 
graved  inscription,  "Presented  to  Lt.  Col.  Thomas  Francis 
Wildes,  by  the  enlisted  men  of  the  n6th  O.  V.  I.,  as  a  testi 
monial  of  their  appreciation  of  his  courage,  zeal  and  kind 
ness.  April  ist,  1863."  A  very  graceful  and  feeling  pre 
sentation  speech  was  made  by  Private  W.  H.  Bassett,  of 
company  C,  which  was  responded  to  in  brief  remarks  by 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes,  in  which  he  thanked  the  men 
most  heartily  for  their  splendid  gift. 

During  the  time  we  lay  in  Winchester,  there  was  a 
great  deal  of  serious  sickness  and  many  deaths  among  both 
citizens  and  soldiers,  typhoid  fever  being  the  prevailing  dis 
ease.  Dr.  W.  R.  Gilkey,  our  surgeon,  died  of  fever  on  the 
4th  of  June.  Dr.  J.  Q.  A.  Hudson,  our  first  assistant  sur 
geon,  was  detached  from  us,  and  assigned  to  the  charge  of 
the  hospital  for  insane  soldiers  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  almost 
immediately  after  the  organization  of  the  regiment,  and  see 
ing  no  prospect  of  being  returned  to  us  he  had  resigned  on 
the  23d  of  March.  As  before  stated,  Dr.  Johnson  resigned 
at  Romney  on  the  ipth  of  February,  and  for  a  long  time, 
during  which  a  great  deal  of  sickness  prevailed,  Dr.  Gilkey 
was  alone  and  he  was  overworked.  He  really  fell  a  sacri 
fice  to  his  extraordinary  devotion  to  duty.  Dr.  Thomas 
J.  Shannon  was  appointed  to  the  vacancy  occasioned  by 
the  death  of  Dr.  Gilkey,  and  Drs.  Smith  and  Brown  to 
the  vacancies  created  by  the  resignations  of  Hudson  and 
Johnson. 

From  the  time  of  its  arrival  in  Winchester,  the  regiment 
was  almost  constantly  engaged  in  foraging,  scouting,  or 
skirmishing  with  the  enemy.  Several  very  long  and  hard 
marches  were  made  on  scouts.  One  of  these,  on  the  22d 


52  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  t< 

of  April,  was  to  Strasburg,  twenty  miles  distant,  where  our 
cavalry  only  had  a  tilt  with  the  enemy.  We  returned,  next 
day,  with  thirty  prisoners.  But  long  scouts  up  the  valley 
were  a  weekly  occurrence,  but  as  nothing  more  than  heavy 
marches  resulted  from  them  it  would  be  tedious  to  give 
them  in  detail.  On  the  25th  of  April,  we  again  started  out 
with  our  entire  brigade  of  infantry,  cavalry  and  artillery, 
accompanied  by  a  pontoon  train.  The  next  day  we  reached 
Wardensville,  where  we  went  into  camp,  passing  through 
Capon  Springs,  a  beautiful  watering  place,  on  the  way. 
On  the  morrow,  we  marched  to  Lost  River,  and  rinding  the 
bridges  all  gone,  we  returned  to  our  camp  ground  of  the 
night  before.  We  were  now  in  the  midst  of  some  of  the 
most  enchanting  scenery  in  Virginia.  During  the  day  Lost 
River  was  bridged  with  pontoons,  and  next  morning  we 
crossed  and  resumed  our  march  to  within  nine  miles  of 
Moorefield.  We  then  turned  about,  and  marched  back  to 
Wardensville,  where  we  again  camped  over  night.  During 
the  night  four  of  our  pickets  were  shot  by  bushwhackers. 
The  next  morning  early,  we  were  on  the  road  toward  Stras 
burg,  where  we  came  up  with  the  enemy,  and  had  a  sharp 
engagement.  The  i3th  Pennsylvania  cavalry  was  led  into 
an  ambush  here  and  lost  a  few  men,  but  the  enemy  was  re 
pulsed  with  considerable  loss,  retreating  up  the  valley. 
The  Union  loss  was  six  killed  and  several  wounded,  allx 
from  the  cavalry.  On  the  next  day,  the  29th,  we  returned 
to  Winchester,  having  marched  about  100  miles.  On  the 
5th  of  May  we  started  out  with  a  week's  rations  and  forty 
rounds  of  ammunition.  Went  as  far  as  New  Market,  and 
meeting  with  nothing  more  formidable  than  a  few  bush 
whackers,  returned  to  Winchester  on  the  pth.  Soon  after 
this  we  were  engaged  several  days  in  macadamizing  the 
road  to  Martinsburg,  which  was  put  in  good  shape  for  sev 
eral  miles  out  of  Winchester.  Several  promotions  took 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  53 

place  at  Winchester  on  account  of  the  resignations  at  Rom- 
ney.     The  following  is  the  list: 


First  Lieutenant  T.  Mallory,  to  Captain,  vice  Kidgeway,  resigned. 

First  Lieutenant  H.  L.  Karr,  to  Captain,  vice  Golden,  resigned. 

First  Lieutenant  Alex  Cochran,  to  Captain,  vice  Fuller,  resigned. 

Second  Lieutenant  H.  L.  Sibley,  to  First  Lieutenant. 

Second  Lieutenant  W.  M.  Kerr,  to  First  Lieutenant. 

Second  Lieutenant  Richard  Chaney,  to  First  Lieutenant. 

Second  Lieutenant  Wilson  F.  Martin,  to  First  Lieutenant. 

Second  Lieutenant  J.  C.  H.  Cobb,  to  First  Lieutenant. 

Second  Lieutenant  A.  B.  Frame,  to  First  Lieutenant. 

Second  Lieutenant  John  F.  Welch,  to  First  Lieutenant. 

First  Sergeant  John  Manning,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 

P'irst  Sergeant  Samuel  D    Knight,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 

First  Sergeant  Ransom  Griffin,  to  Second  Lieutenant 

First  Sergeant  Richmond  O.  Knowles,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 

First  Sergeant  Gotlleib  Scheifley,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 

First  Sergeant  Wm.  B.  Henry,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 

Sergeant  Major  Milton  A.  Ellis,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 

Sergeant  James  M.  Dalzell,  Company  H,  was  appointed  Sergeant  Major. 


On  the  3d  of  April  the  regiment  was  armed  with  new 
Springfield  rifles,  and  now  we  felt,  for  the  first  time,  that  we 
had  a  serviceable  and  respectable  arm.  On  the  4th  there 
was  a  grand  review  of  the  army  by  Gen.  Milroy.  On  the 
4th  of  June  Private  Jacob  Butts,  of  company  G,  died  in 
hospital.  He  was  a  fine  man  and  one  of  the  strongest 
physically  in  the  regiment.  His  was  the  first  death  in  the 
company.  On  the  5th  companies  A  and  I,  with  two  com 
panies  of  the  Syth  Pennsylvania,  were  sent,  under  command 
of  Major  Morris,  to  Bunker  Hill.  On  the  6th  company  G, 
under  Captain  Karr,  was  sent  out  about  nine  miles  on  the 
Romney  road,  to  break  up,  and,  if  possible,  capture  a  band 
of  rebel  horse  thieves  infesting  that  section.  The  company 
captured  two  notorious  thieves,  besides  a  rebel  militia  cap 
tain.  He  told  Captain  Karr  that  the  Union  forces  had 
been  after  him  eighteen  times,  and  he  had  always  eluded 
them  until  now.  Captain  Karr  replied,  "Yes,  but  this  is 
the  first  time  company  G  of  the  n6th  Ohio  has  been  after 
you." 


54  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

For  two  or  three  days  prior  to  the  I2th  of  June,  the 
whole  army  was  on  the  qui  vive.  We  were  in  line  of  battle 
ready  for  orders,  or  on  the  move  from  one  point  to  another, 
day  and  night.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  i2th  the  n6th 
and  1 23d  Ohio,  i2th  West  Virginia,  a  regiment  of  cavalry 
and  a  battery  were  ordered  out  on  the  road  leading  to 
Kernstown.  Soon  after  passing  our  picket  lines,  we  met 
the  enemy's  skirmishers,  which  we  drove  back  beyond 
Kernstown.  In  this  movement  the  n6th  was  on  the  right. 
We  met  a  strong  line  a  short  distance  beyond  Kernstown. 

o  •  J 

The  n6th  was  quickly  thrown  around  to  a  position  from 
which  it  enfiladed  the  line,  and  pushing  our  advantage, 
pressed  them  under  a  hot  fire,  until  they  broke,  when  we 
charged  and  drove  them  from  the  field  in  a  rout.  We  cap 
tured  a  large  number  of  prisoners,  meeting  ourselves  with 
only  slight  loss  in  wounded.  It  was  soon  seen,  however, 
from  a  point  of  high  ground  which  we  reached  in  the  pur 
suit,  that  we  had  met  but  a  small  portion  of  the  force  actu- 
tually  in  our  front.  The  roads  for  miles  up  the  valley 
indicated  the  approach  and  near  presence  of  a  large  force. 
Information  to  this  effect  being  sent  back  to  Milroy  at  Win 
chester,  he  came  out  and  reconnoitered.  We  remained  in 
line  of  battle  until  after  dark,  when  we  fell  back  to  Win 
chester.  We  now  expected  hot  work  on  the  morrow. 
While  we  wondered  at  our  remaining  there  in  the  presence 
of  so  large  a  force,  it  was  only  ours  to  obey  such  orders  as 
were  given  us,  ask  no  questions  and  cast  no  reflections. 
So  all  that  night  we  lay  on  our  arms  behind  the  entrench 
ments.  History  shows  that  the  main  body  of  Lee's  army 
then  lay  within  a  few  miles  of  us,  and  that  the  movement  he 
was  then  carrying  out  was  commenced  on  the  3d  of  June. 
Lee  says  in  his  report  of  the  Gettysburg  campaign :  "  On 
the  night  that  Ewell  appeared  at  Winchester,  the  Federal 
troops,  in  front  of  A.  P.  Hill  at  Fredericksburg,  recrossed 
the  Rappahannock,  and  the  next  day  disappeared  behind 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  55 

the  hills  of  Stafford.  General  Ewell  left  Culpepper  Court 
House  on  the  loth.  Crossing  the  Shenandoah  near  Front 

o 

Royal,  he  detached  General  Rhodes's  division  to  Berryville, 
with  instructions,  after  dislodging  the  forces  there,  to  cut 
off  communications  between  Winchester  and  the  .Potomac. 
General  Rhodes  attacked  the  force  stationed  at  Berryville 
on  the  1 3th,  drove  it  into  Winchester,  and  on  the  I4th  en 
tered  Martinsburg ." 

Fighting  began  early  on  the  morning  of  the  i3th  all 
along  the  line  in  front  of  Winchester,  and  continued  during 
the  day  until  after  dark.  The  n6th  was  engaged  con 
stantly.  Towards  evening,  it  was  driven  with  other  troops 
from  the  outer  entrenchments  to  the  second  line.  In  the 
afternoon  of  the  I3th,  the  two  companies  at  Bunker  Hill 
were  attacked  by  a  portion  of  Rhodes'  division.  The  little 
command  under  its  intrepid  leader,  Major  Morris,  made  a 
gallant  stand  and  held  its  ground  against  vastly  superior 
numbers,  until  nearly  half  its  number  was  killed,  wounded 
or  captured.  Among  the  severely  wounded  and  left  on  the 
field  was  Captain  Alex  Cochran,  of  company  I,  and  among 
the  prisoners  were  Lieutenant  R.  O.  Knowles  of  the  same 
company,  and  Lieutenant  Manning  of  company  A.  The 
remainder  sought  to  reach  an  old  brick  church,  and  the 
enemy  made  an  effort  to  cut  them  off  from  it,  but  they 
fought  their  way  into  it  bravely,  and  using  loop-holes  which 
thev  had  previously  made  for  their  rifles,  soon  drove  the 
enemy  beyond  their  reach.  Here  they  remained  until 
about  2  o'clock  the  next  morning,  when,  finding  a  gap  in  the 
enemy's  lines  surrounding  them,  they  made  their  escape,  and 
by  a  long  and  tiresome  march  reached  Winchester  about 
7  A.  M.  of  the  1 4th.  The  troops  driven  out  of  Berryville 
reached  Winchester  also  the  morning  of  the  i4th.  They 
were  followed  and  attacked  at  the  crossing  of  Opequan 
Creek.  This  force  was  in  command  of  Col.  McReynolds, 
of  the  1st  New  York  cavalry. 


56  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

General  Doubleday,  in  his  account  of  the  battles  of 
Chancellorsville  and  Gettysburg,  in  "The  Campaigns  of  the 
Civil  War,"  says:  "Soon  after  the  affair  at  Opequan, 
Major  Morris,  with  200  men,  was  attacked  at  Bunker  Hill, 
an  outlying  post  of  Winchester.  He  occupied  a  fortified 
church,  but  moved  out  to  meet  the  enemy,  under  the  im 
pression  it  was  only  a  small  raiding  party.  When  he  found 
2,000  men  in  line  of  battle,  he  retreated,  fighting,  to  the 
church  again.  There,  as  the  doors  were  barricaded,  and 
the  walls  loop-holed,  the  rebels  could  make  no  impression, 
and  were  obliged  to  fall  back  to  a  respectful  distance.  In 
the  night  the  Major  managed  to  steal  away,  and  soon  re 
joined  the  main  body  at  Winchester."  Among  those  con 
spicuous  for  bravery  and  coolness  at  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill,  was  Lieutenant  A.  B.  Frame,  of  company  I,  upon 
whom  the  command  of  the  company  devolved,  after  the 
wounding  of  the  gallant  Captain  Cochran.  He  was  highly 
praised  by  Major  Morris,  and  ever  afterwards  retained  the 
confidence  and  esteem  of  his  men.  Under  a  most  galling 
fire,  he  covered  the  retreat  to  the  church,  keeping  his  men 
in  hand  as  well  and  as  coolly  as  on  a  parade  grouid,  and 
was  among  the  very  last  to  enter  the  church.  More  than 
half  of  his  company  were  made  prisoners,  by  being  cut  off 
from  the  church,  and  from  reaching  him  from  the  skirmish 
line.  Mere  boy,  though  he  was,  he  that  day  showed  him 
self  possessed  of  great  courage,  and  superior  soldierly 
qualities. 

On  the  morning  of  the  i4th  the  battle  began  in  earnest, 
bright  and  early.  The  n6th  fought  at  different  points  in 
the  entrenchments,  re-enforcing,  and  being  re-enforced, 
wherever  and  whenever  the  battle  was  most  desperate,  and 
our  lines  were  most  hotly  pressed.  It  was  wonderful,  even 
to  ourselves,  how  we  held  that  overwhelming  army  at  bay. 
Just  before  night,  however,  the  rebels,  in  overwhelming 
numbers,  attacked  us  on  all  sides,  and  drove  Milroy's  little 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  57 

afmy  from  its  entrenchments  into  the  forts,  and  the  works 
in  their  vicinity,  on  Applepie  Ridge.  In  the  last  charge 
made,  Captain  Frederick  H.  Arckenoe,  as  brave,  noble  and 
gallant  an  officer  as  the  regiment  ever  had,  was  killed. 
For  some  time  prior  to  the  rebels'  advance  on  Winchester, 
Captain  Arckenoe's  company,  u  C,"  had  been  detached  from 
the  regiment  to  support  a  battery,  occupying  a  line  of  works 
about  one  mile  northwest  of  Winchester,  on  Flint  Ridge. 
On  the  morning  of  the  i4th,  the  noth  Ohio,  Col.  Keiffer, 
was  added  to  the  force  at  this  point.  At  the  time  of  the 
general  advance  of  the  enemy,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  I4th, 
this  position  was  assailed  by  a  large  division  of  rebels,  and 
twenty-four  pieces  of  artillery.  Captain  Arckenoe  fought 
his  men  with  remarkable  coolness  and  bravery,  and  fell, 
shot  through  the  head,  as  he  was  tiring  his  pistol  in  the 
very  faces  of  the  rebels,  as  they  swarmed  over  the  works 
in  his  front.  Besides  the  Captain,  Sergeant  Oswald  Heck 
wras  killed,  and  a  number  of  men  wounded,  which  we  will 
mention  hereafter.  Lieutenant  Lupton  and  about  one-third 
of  the  company  were  captured.  With  the  balance,  Lieuten 
ant  Mann  reported  to  Colonel  Horn,  of  the  6th  Maryland 
regiment,  in  one  of  the  large  forts,  where  he  was  assigned 
to  duty  on  the  left,  and  with  which  regiment  he  remained 
during  the  day.  The  n6th  thus  had  three  companies  sub 
stantially  used  up  —  A  and  I  at  Bunker  Hill,  and  C  at  this 
spot,  with  a  loss  of  one  officer  killed,  one  wounded,  and  four 
captured.  The  rebels  now  opened  a  terrific  fire  of  artillery 
upon  us,  and  charge  after  charge  was  made  by  their  infan 
try,  which  they  renewed  again  and  again,  until  long  after 
dark.  Often  times  they  charged  in  heavy  masses  right  up 
to  the  ditch  surrounding  the  forts,  only  to  be  hurled  back 
again  and  again  in  a  shower  of  balls,  and  grape,  and  can- 
nister.  But  they  were  unable  to  gain  a  footing  at  any 
point,  and  about  10  o'clock  at  night,  withdrew  beyond  our 
reach.  During  the  whole  of  this  deadly  struggle,  General 


58  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

Milroy  stood  in  a  lookout,  high  up  on  the  flag-staff  in  the 
center  of  the  main  fort,  coolly  directing  every  movement, 
and  encouraging  his  troops.  About  10  o'clock  the  firing 
ceased,  and  arrangements  began  for  our  escape  during  the 
night.  The  prisoners  we  had  taken  during  the  day,  and 
everything  else,  confirmed  to  prove  that  we  were  in  the 
presence  of  Lee's  Potomac  Army.  As  a  result  of  a  council 
of  war,  after  spiking  all  the  cannon,  we  moved  out  of  the 
forts  quietly,  about  2  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  i5th. 
The  enemy  lay  very  close  to  us  on  our  front  and  flanks, 
but,  for  some  reason,  did  not  close  the  gap  in  our  rear, 
which  they  might  have  done  as  well  as  not.  But  we  knew 
they  were  in  strong  force,  four  miles  below  us,  on  the  road 
to  Martinsburg,  and  that  to  escape  we  must  cut  our  way 
through  them.  At  the  point  expected,  we  met  the  enemy 
drawn  up  in  line  of  battle,  where  the  road  to  Harper's 
Ferry  turns  off  from  the  Winchester  and  Martinsburg  turn 
pike,  thus  covering  both  roads.  The  n6th  occupied  a  po 
sition  on  the  left  of  the  line,  and  some  distance  left  of  the 
turnpike.  We  were  in  line  of  battle,  and  as  soon  as  the 
rebel  line  was  discovered  in  the  darkness,  we  made  a  deter 
mined  charge,  and  broke  through,  at  the  same  time  captur 
ing  several  prisoners.  On  the  extreme  right,  several  regi 
ments,  including  the  noth  and  i22d  Ohio,  did  the  same 
thing.  The  whole  of  our  second  line,  under  orders  of  Gen 
eral  Milroy,  now  moved  quickly  to  the  right,  without  at 
tacking  the  enemy,  and  with  the  noth,  i22d,  and  other 
regiments,  made  their  way  to  Harper's  Ferry.  The  i23d 
Ohio  and  iSth  Connecticut  were  in  the  centre,  and  met  the 
enemy  in  strong  force,  and  though  they  made  two  or  three 
desperate  charges,  were  unable  to  cut  their  way  through, 
and  were  obliged  to  surrender,  portions  of  each  regiment, 
however,  escaping  in  the  darkness.  On  the  left,  beside  the 
1 1 6th,  were  the  i2th  West  Virginia  regiment  of  infantry,  a 
battalion  of  the  ist  New  York  cavalry,  and  a  portion  of  the 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  59 

1 2th  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  under  Major  Adams.  From  our 
present  position,  the  enemy  was  in  strong  force  between  us 
and  Harper's  Ferry,  and  also  between  us  and  Martinsburg. 
Company  C  went  through  to  Harper's  Ferry  with  the  6th 
Maryland,  with  which  it  had  operated  the  latter  part  of  the 
day  before.  General  Milroy,  on  being  informed  of  our  po 
sition,  ordered  us  to  move  off  to  the  left,  and  try  to  reach 
the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad  at  some  point  west  of  Mar 
tinsburg,  at  Hancock,  if  possible.  We  then  quickly  moved 
to  the  left,  westward,  through  a  piece  of  woods,  skirmish 
ing  with  an  unseen  foe  as  we  went,  until  we  reached  an 
open  field  beyond,  where  we  halted  and  reformed.  We 
found  we  had  the  two  regiments  named,  besides  fragments 
of  several  others,  a  battalion  of  the  gallant  ist  New  York 
cavalry,  and  about  half  of  the  I2th  Pennsylvania  cavalry. 
A  course  of  retreat  was  soon  settled  upon.  The  infantry 
moved  out  in  advance,  the  cavalry  covering  the  rear.  Col 
onel  Washburn  was  in  command  of  the  infantry,  and  Major 
Adams  of  the  cavalry.  Knowing  precisely  the  direction  to 
take,  and  the  point  to  make,  we  were  enabled  in  the  confu 
sion  following  the  engagement,  aided  by  the  mist  of  early 
dawn,  to  get  well  on  our  way  before  we  were  discovered 
by  the  rebels.  When  they  did  discover  us,  they  followed 
with  a  considerable  force,  determined  to  cut  us  off  from  a 
gap  in  the  mountains,  which  we  were  aiming,  with  all 
speed,  to  reach.  The  detachment  of  the  ist  New  York 
cavalry  did  splendid  service  now  in  protecting  the  rear  of 
our  column,  and  preventing  the  enemy's  cavalry  from  ob 
structing  our  march.  The  I2th  Pennsylvania  cavalry  went 
forward  to  possess  and  hold  the  gap  that  we  were  endeav 
oring  to  reach.  They  performed  their  work  well.  By  dint 
of  hard  marching,  and  considerable  maneuvering  and  skir 
mishing,  we  reached  the  gap,  and  entering  the  narrow 
mountain  pass,  we  were  safe  against  further  successful  pur 
suit  by  almost  any  amount  of  force. 


6O  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

That  our  route  may  be  recognized  by  others,  it  may  be 
stated,  that  we  took  the  route  on  this  march  pursued  by 
Collis'  zouaves,  in  Banks'  retreat  of  the  year  before,  cross 
ing  the  mountains  at  the  same  place,  and  marching  thence 
through  Bath  and  Berkley  Springs,  to  Sir  John's  Run. 
Reaching  the  Springs,  we  rested  a  few  hours,  the  men, 
meanwhile,  taking  occasion  to  bathe  and  wash  up.  As  we 
were  about  starting  again,  we  learned  that  a  force  of  rebel 
cavalry  was  trying  to  get  possession  of  certain  mountain 
roads  ahead  of  us  a  short  distance,  in  order  to  cut  us  off 
from  the  ford  of  the  Potomac  at  Sir  John's  Run.  Hastily 
throwing  a  few  companies  forward,  to  command  these 
roads,  we  moved  out  quickly,  and  crossed  the  ford  without 
molestation,  but  we  were  scarcely  across  before  the  enemy 
appeared  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river.  We  halted  at 
Hancock,  and  placed  a  strong  guard  at  the  ford.  From 
here  we  sent  our  regimental  horses  and  mules  to  Cumber 
land,  in  charge  of  Captain  Powell's  company  of  cavalry. 
We  rested  at  Hancock  until  10  P.  M.,  marched  all  night,  and 
the  next  day,  in  the  afternoon,  reached  Orleans  Station,  on 
the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad,  where  we  procured  rations, 
and  met  a  part  of  General  Couche's  division,  collected  from 
guarding  the  railroad.  Here,  learning  that  the  enemy  was 
in  Cumberland  in  large  force,  we  received  orders  from 
General  Milroy,  at  Harper's  Ferry,  to  proceed  to  Bloody 
Run,  Pennsylvania,  at  which  point  he  would  meet  us,  for 
co-operation  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  We  reached 
Bloody  Run  on  the  ipth.  Milroy  was  as  good  as  his  word 
and  met  us  on  the  next  day  after  our  arrival.  It  was  a  sad 
meeting.  The  "Old  Grey  Eagle"  looked  gloomy  and 
broken-hearted,  but  we  drew  up  in  line  to  receive  him,  and, 
as  he  approached,  presented  arms,  and  cheered  him  loud 
and  long.  Stacking  arms,  officers  and  men  gathered  about 
to  shake  his  hand,  and  learn  the  fate  of  the  rest  of  his  little 
army.  Many  a  heart  was  saddened  at  the  news  tha.t  our 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  6l 

old  associates  of  the  12 3d  Ohio  were  prisoners.  We  must 
not  pass  from  Bloody  Run  without  mentioning  the  fact, 
that,  upon  hearing  of  our  coming,  the  people  of  that  place 
prepared  a  glorious  feast  for  us.  Long  tables  were  placed 
in  the  middle  of  the  principal  street,  which  were  loaded 
with  warm  and  cold  meats,  potatoes,  bread,  pickles,  splen 
did  hot  coffee,  and  great  bowls  and  pails  of  milk.  We 
were  nearly  starved,  and  no  meal  we  ever  ate  was  so 
heartily  relished.  The  good  people  of  Bloody  Run  will  be 
remembered  as  long  as  there  is  a  member  of  the  n6th 
living.  Finding  we  were  in  no  condition  for  immediate  ser 
vice,  General  Milroy  left  us  to  await  further  orders.  Re 
maining  here  until  the  3Oth,  we  then  moved  to  Bedford, 
where  we  remained  until  the  3d  of  July.  On  that  day,  we 
moved  back  to  Bloody  Run.  Next  day,  starting  at  4  A.  M., 
we  marched  six  miles,  and  stopped  for  breakfast.  During 
the  day  we  passed  through  the  small  village  of  Mount 
Zion,  and  camped  that  night  six  miles  from  McConnells- 
burg.  It  rained  hard  from  6  A.  M.  till  3  P.  M.  July  5th  we 
passed  through  McConnellsburg  to  Loudon,  which  we 
reached  about  2  P.  M.  Just  after  dark  we  received  orders 
to  move  by  a  forced  march  to  Mercersburg,  to  guard  trains 
captured  by  our  cavalry.  We  reached  Mercersburg  about 
i  o'clock  next  morning.  Here  we  met  Col.  McReynolds, 
through  whose  disobedience  of  orders,  on  the  morning  we 
left  Winchester,  a  portion  of  our  force  was  captured,  and 
by  whose  conduct  the  successful  escape  of  our  whole  com 
mand  was  thwarted.  We  were  far  from  glad  to  see  him, 
and  every  one  expressed  hopes  that  he  would  not  be 
allowed  to  remain  in  command  of  the  troops.  Our  hopes 
were  gratified,  for  he  was  ordered  from  there  in  arrest,  and 
his  gallant  regiment  remained  in  command  of  Major  Adams, 
and  the  rest  of  the  troops  breathed  freer  when  they  learned 
they  were  relieved  from  any  further  risk  from  his  treachery. 
Early  in  the  morning,  we  started  back  with  the  captured 


62  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

trains,  and  about  1,000  prisoners,  to  Loudon.  Other  por 
tions  of  our  cavalry  had  now  joined  us,  and  we  watched 
closely  for  opportunities  to  strike  Lee's  trains,  which  were 
passing  in  front  of  his  defeated  army  from  Gettysburg. 
Opportunities  soon  came,  when  our  cavalry,  supported  by 
our  infantry,  struck  his  trains  and  captured,  in  the  aggre 
gate,  over  400  wagons,  a  large  number  of  which  were 
loaded  with  wounded.  The  wagons,  horses,  and  mules 
were  run  off  to  a  safe  distance  from  the  rebel  line  of  retreat, 
while  the  wounded  prisoners  were  distributed  in  Loudon 
and  adjoining  farm  houses.  We  hung  upon  the  flank  of 
Lee's  retreating  column,  until  they  passed  through  Hagers- 
town,  making  frequent  dashes  upon  his  trains,  capturing 
large  numbers  of  stragglers  and  foraging  parties,  thus  pro 
tecting  the  country  from  being  plundered  by  his  half-fam 
ished  hordes.  From  a  letter  written  from  Loudon,  under 
date  of  July  6th,  I  take  the  following:  "We  are  doing 
good  work  here,  harassing  the  rebels  on  their  flank,  cutting 
up  their  trains,  and  picking  up  their  stragglers.  There 
probably  never  was  so  complete  a  rout  as  Lee's  army  sus 
tained.  A  train  six  miles  long  passed  by  on  the  Cumber 
land  pike  yesterday.  It  was  terribly  cut  up  by  our  cavalry 
and  Pleasanton's.  It  will  probably  all  be  captured,  or  de 
stroyed.  Providence  is  favoring  us  with  such  copious 
rains.  The  Potomac  has  risen  several  feet.  A  large  pon 
toon  bridge  of  the  enemy  was  swept  away  yesterday,  near 
Williamsport.  This  was  the  point  aimed  at  by  the  rebel 
train  mentioned.  The  demoralization  of  Lee's  army  is 
something  awful  to  witness,  and  if  General  Mead  would 
press  it  hard,  fully  half  of  it  would  certainly  be  destroyed, 
or  captured.  Why  he  does  not  press  forward  is  a  mystery 
to  us,  who  can  see  its  hopeless  condition  here,  as  it  passes 
by."  On  the  i3th  we  marched  to  Greencastle,  and  the  next 
day  started  for  Hagerstown,  where  we  met  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  in  pursuit  of  Lee,  now  too  late  to  accomplish 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  63 

what  it  might  so  easily  have  accomplished  a  week  before. 
And  here,  after  a  month  of  righting,  skirmishing  and  hard 
marching,  (much  of  the  marching  being  night  and  day  and 
forced),  we  stacked  arms,  and  partaking  of  the  first  square 
meal  we  had  eaten  since  we  left  Bloody  Run,  laid  down  to 
rest  and  sleep.  I  can  never  forget  the  appearance  of  those 
sleepers.  They  looked  more  like  dead  than  asleep.  They 
were  utterly  exhausted.  For  the  four  days  prior  to  reach 
ing  Hagerstown,  we  had  scarcely  rested  an  hour  at  a  time, 
had  hardly  closed  our  eyes  in  sleep,  night  or  day,  and  had 
had  nothing  to  eat,  save  what  we  could  pick  up  as  we 
passed  rapidly  along  the  roads,  or  through  the  fields  and 
woods. 

The  next  day  we  moved  to  Sharpsburg,  passing  over 
the  battle  field  of  Antietam,  and  then,  on  the  4th  of  August, 
moved  to  Martinsburg,  by  the  way  of  Harper's  Ferry.  On 
the  way,  we  passed  the  house  in  which  John  Brown  pre 
pared  for  his  raid  on  Harper's  Ferry.  From  the  i3th  of 
June  our  regiment  had  lost  203  men  in  killed,  wounded  and 
prisoners.  The  following  is  a  list  of  our  killed,  wounded 
and  prisoners: 

KILLED  AT  BUNKER  HILL. 

COMPANY  A— Simpson  Smith,  John  Welch  and  John  A.  Bowman  —3. 
WOUNDED  AT  BUNKER  HILL. 

COMPANY  A— Abel  Hall,  Henry  Harman,  Daniel  P.  Hubbard,  James  Lafevere,  James 
W.  Oliver,  Jacob  Ring,  Jacob  Zimmerly,  Hiram  Shafer,  Solomon  Shafer,  Cyrus  Spriggs, 
Samuel  Tidd,  Edward  J.  Tillett,  Aaron  Weekly,  George  C.  Williamson,  Samuel  Steel, 
and  Corporal  Newton  Meek. — 1C. 

COMPANY  I— Captain  Alexander  Cochran,  Caleb  I.  Baker,  George  W.  Burch.— 3. 
PRISONERS. 

COMPANY  A — Lieutenant  John  S.  Manning,  Sergeant  Mann  Smith,  Sergeant  James  H. 
Worder,  Sergeant  Daniel  C.  Hurd,  Corporal  Benjamin  F.  Dye,  Corporal  Jesse  Keyser, 
Corporal  William  Brock,  Corporal  Newton  Meek,  Privates,  John  D.  Brown,  Albert 
Gates,  Joseph  R.  Brock,  John  C.  Bean,  William  Bonam,  Jesse  Coulter,  Abraham 
Coulter,  William  Jbanford,  William  S.  Dyer,  Frederick  Edge,  Samuel  Gates,  Jefferson 


64 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 


Gratton,  Abel  Hall,  Henry  Harman,  Daniel  P.  Hubbard,  Joseph  Paith,  Jacob  Ring, 
Cyrus  Spriggs,  Samuel  Tidd,  Edward  J.  Tillett,  Samuel  Zimmerly,  James  Lafevere, 
Samuel  H.  MeHugh,  George  C.  Williamson,  Benjamin  Ring.— 33. 

COMPANY  I— Captain  Alexander  Coehran,  Sergeant  George  Bean,  Privates,  William 
Scott,  John  O.  Athej,  Jacob  E.  Athey,  John  C.  Bailey,  Caleb  I.  Baker,  Elias  Baker, 
Bradly  P.  Barrows,  Jesse  Burton,  George  W.  Burch,  James  A.  Campbell,  Samuel  H. 
Cramblett,  John  A.  Dennis,  Samuel  P.  Fleak,  (escaped  June  IGth),  Ephriam  W.  Frost, 
James  H.  Gilchrist,  Samuel  McCulloch,  William  McMillan,  Leonard  S.  Mickle,  Joseph 
Morrison,  John  J.  Norris,  Sheldon  Parker,  Hopson  L.  Sherman,  George  W.  Tasker. — 25. 

KILLED  AT  WINCHESTER. 

Captain  Frederick  H.  Arckenoe,  Co.  C;  Sergeant  Oswald  Heck,  Co.C;  Samuel 
Luthey,  Co.  E  ;  Theodore  Mathias,  Co.  E.— 4. 

WOUNDED. 

Jonn  H.  Lang,  Co.  C,  in  arm  ;  Charles  D.  Watson,  Co.  C,  right  shoulder. 
PRISONERS,  JUNE   I5TH. 

Chaplain  E.  W.  Brady,  Q.  M.  Sergeant  William  J.  Lee,  Elmer  Armstrong,  Sutler, 
Mrs.  Colonel  Washburn.— 5. 

COMPANY  B  — Lieutenant  Hiram  L.  Sibley,  Sergeant  Edward  P.  Tiffany,  Privates 
Henry  Jennings,  Leonard  J.  Cooley,  Benjamin  McLane,  John  Campbell,  Daniel  Rose, 
Aurelius  P.  Wiley.— 8. 

COMPANY  C— Lieutenant  Levi  Lupton,  Corporal  Oliver  A.  Hardesty,  Privates 
Wilson  A.  Mann,  David  A.  Mann,  John  Mahoney,  Miller  Booth,  Jacob  Butt,  Eli  Evans, 
Robert  E.  Chambers,  George  W.  Gannon,  William  Montgomery,  Reinhard  Straub, 
Jacob  Walton,  John  Latchaw,  George  W.  Matchett,  George  W.  Sampson,  John  Egger, 
William  Bush,  Clarkgon  W.  Adams,  William  W.  Wheaton,  Citizen  H.  Henderson, 
Samuel  Dobbins,  Emon  H.  Beardmore,  James  A.  Preshaw,  Henrv  Fleishman,  Lewis 
Steuher,  Charles  L.  Eberle,  Alexander  Robbins.— 28. 

COMPANY  D  — Corporal  William  A.  Ferrell,  Privates  Isaac  Price,  Jackson  Cox, 
Leander  A.  Eddy,  Henry  Mowder,  Thomas  Rawley,  Sampson  Patterson,  Robert 
Armstrong,  Hugh  Thompson,  James  Simmons. — 10. 

COMPANY  E  -Corporal  John  J.  Walter,  Privates  Robert  8.  Hutchison,  John  Smith, 
John  Morrow,  Benjamin  J.  Ridgeway,  Jacob  Fisher,  Jacobs.  Hurd,  Jacob  Walter.— 8. 

COMPANY  F  — Privates  William  H.  Bell,  Junius  Early,  Charles  Latch,  James  Marsh, 
Christian  Rhmer. — 5. 

COMPANY  G  — Lieutenant  J.  C.  S.  Cobb,  Privates  Ira  Wood,  James  Davis,  William.  M. 
Davies,  Jacob  Fisher,  George  W.  Hysell,  Eben  Hysell,  Samuel  L.  Smith,  Isaac  C.  Swett, 
William  J.  Chase.— 11. 

COMPANY  H— Privates  Daniel  Bock,  Joseph  Geralds,  Mathew  Grandon,  E.  J. 
Mathews,  Lafayette  Moore,  Michael  J.  Moore,  Hugh  Shaler,  Joseph  Dudley,  James 
Smith,  Stephen  C.  McCoy,  Jacob  Wannhas,  Samuel  B.  Mathews.— 12. 

COMPANY  I  — Lieutenant  Richmond  O.  Knowles,  Sergeant  John  B.  Humphrey, 
Corporal  Wisley  Mickle,  Corporal  Joseph  P.  Parrish,  Privates  George  Bates,  Asher 
Buckley,  Alvah  D.  Carlton,  Luther  H.  Clayton,  James  W.  Glazier,  Morris  Humphrey, 
William  S.  Parrott,  Rufus  B.  Stanley,  Enoch  Taylor,  Charles  W.  Waterman.— 14. 


CNR    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  65 

COMPANY  K  —  Corporal  Carmi  Allison,  Drummer  Boy  Lucius  Hull,  Privates  John 
Koons,  Reason  Risley,  Hiram  Pitcock,  William  Rutter,  Abraham  Butterworth.  John 
Hartley,  S.  Fenton,  George  McDonald,  Hurley  Gilbert,  Craven  Ayers,  Emory  Newton, 
William  Robinett,  Asa  Ladd,  Corporal  Jesse  Allen. — 1C. 

Making  a  total  loss  of  7  killed,  21  wounded,  175  pris 
oners — 203. 

Lieutenant  Sibley  was  recorder  of  a  military  commis 
sion  at  Winchester,  of  which  Colonel  Keifer  was  president, 
when  the  attack  was  made  upon  the  place.  He  was  at  the 
time  quite  unwell.  The  morning  .of  the  attack  he  got  out  of 
bed  the  first  time  for  a  week,  and  went  to  the  room  of  the 
commission  to  be  excused  by  Colonel  Keifer.  While  they 
were  talking,  the  rebel  artillery  opened.  Keifer  buckled  on 
his  sword,  saying:  "I  think  there  won't  be  any  further 
use  of  this  commission,"  and  left  to  command  his  regiment, 
Sibley  was  alternately  in  camp  and  hospital,  until  the  night 
we  moved  out,  when  he  rode  Surgeon  Smith's  horse,  and 
was  finally  captured  in  Colonel  Ely's  surrender  in  the 
morning  attack.  Many  of  the  prisoners  at  Winchester 
were  sick  in  hospital,  but  it  is  impossible  to  distinguish, 
from  an}*  records  or  papers  in  my  possession,  who  were 
captured  in  hospital,  or  who  in  action.  Company  C,  after 
reaching  Harper's  Ferry,  was  assigned  to  the  noth  Ohio, 
and  served  with  it  until  August  ist.  On  the  evacuation  of 
Harper's  Ferry,  the  stores  were  sent  down  the  canal  to 
Washington,  the  troops  marching  as  an  escort,  company  C 
accompanying  the  noth  on  the  march.  Arriving  at  Wash 
ington,  the  news  of  Lee's  defeat  at  Gettysburg  was  re 
ceived,  and  it  accompanied  the  noth  back  to  follow  the 
retreating  rebels.  Reaching  Frederick  City,  Maryland,  it, 
with  the  noth,  was  assigned  to  the  2d  Brigade,  3d  Divi 
sion,  3d  Army  Corps,  and  marched  in  pursuit  of  Lee 
through  Williamsport,  Loudon,  Upperville  and  Manassass 
Gap,  where  they  skirmished  with  the  enemy.  Arriving  at 
Warrenton,  Virginia,  the  company  was  ordered  to  rejoin  its 


66  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 

regiment,  which  it  did  at  Sharpsburg,  on  the  4th  of  August, 
having  marched,  in  the  meantime,  about  250  miles,  besides 
traveling  by  rail  several  hundred  miles  more.  A  captain's 
commission  awaited  Lieutenant  Mann,  Lieutenant  Lupton 
was  promoted  to  First  Lieutenant,  and  Orderly  Sergeant 
William  T.  Biddenharn  to  Second  Lieutenant,  and  were 
assigned  to  duty  with  their  old  company. 

Now  a  few  words  in  general  about  the  campaign,  end 
ing  with  our  arrival  at  this  point.  General  Milroy  had 
6,900  men  when  attacked  at  Winchester,  on  the  i2th  of 
June,  by  Ewell's  corps,  in  the  advance  of  Lee's  army.  He 
was  severely  censured  for  the  "loss  of  his  army,"  as  the 
critics  of  those  times  put  it.  He  was  placed  in  arrest,  and, 
after  waiting  a  time,  and  no  charges  being  preferred,  he 
asked  and  obtained  a  court  of  inquiry.  There  never  was 
any  division  of  opinion  among  Milroy 's  army,  but  that  he 
did  the  best  that  bravery  and  skill  could  do,  under  the  cir 
cumstances.  From  it  he  received  never  a  word  of  censure. 
But  the  public,  and  some  others,  demanded  a  sacrifice  for 
the  confessed  blunder  of  leaving  General  Milroy's  little 
army  in  Winchester  until  it  was  surrounded  by  Lee.  Gen 
eral  Halleck  was  then  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  army 
of  the  United  States.  General  Hooker,  who  was  then  in 
command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  until  the  28th  of 
June,  testified  before  the  Military  Court  of  Inquiry,  "that 
as  early  as  the  28th  of  May,  he  communicated  information 
to  General  Halleck  of  the  enemy's  movements  towards  the 
Shenandoah  Valley,  and  that  he  suggested  sending  General 
Stahl's  cavalry  there."  But  the  evidence  showed,  that  not 
even  an  intimation  of  this  was  sent  to  General  Milroy. 
General  Halleck  communicated  the  information  to  General 
Schenk,  but  the  latter  never  sent  it  to  Milroy.  Hooker 
also  testified  "  that  he  believed  the  holding  of  Lee^s  army  in 
check,  during  the  i2th,  ijth  and  1/f.th  of  June,  saved  Har- 
risburg,  and  perJia-ps  other  important  cities  of  the  Union^ 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  L  67 

from  destruction"  The  testimony  before  the  Court  fully 
exonerated  General  Milroy,  and,  in  this,  Judge  Advocate 
General  Holt  fully  concurred.  President  Lincoln  subscribed 
his  approval  to  the  endorsement  of  Judge  Advocate  Holt. 
In  his  approval  the  President  said :  "  Some  question  can  be 
made,  whether  some  of  General  Halleck's  dispatches  to 
General  Schenck  should  not  have  been  construed  to  be 
orders  to  withdraw  the  force,  and  obeyed  accordingly,  but 
no  such  question  can  be  made  against  Milroy;  in  fact,  the 
last  order  he  received  was,  to  prepare  to  withdraw,  but  not 
to  actually  withdraw  till  further  orders"  which  further  or 
ders  never  reached  him.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  General 
Milroy  and  his  army  were  made  the  victims  of  somebody's 
incompetency  other  than  Milroy's.  That  the  army  should 
have  been  withdrawn  several  days  before  it  was,  there  can 
be  no  doubt,  and  yet,  had  it  not  been  for  the  check  given 
Lee's  army  during  the  I2th,  i3th  and  i4th  of  June,  the 
battle  fought  at  Gettysburg  would  have  been  fought  three 
days'  march  further  north,  and,  as  General  Hooker  testified, 
"  Harrisburg,  and,  perhaps,  other  cities  of  the  Union,  would 
have  been  destroyed."  General  Milroy  acted  promptly  on 
the  orders  uto  be  prepared  to  withdraw,  but  not  to  actually 
withdraw  till  further  orders." 

In  a  correspondence  to  the  Athens  (O.)  "Messenger," 
under  date  of  October  22d,  1863,  I  summarized  the  situa 
tion,  and  as  this  was  written  at  a  time  wrhen  the  facts  were 
all  accessible,  and  were  fresh  in  my  mind,  I  here  quote  lib- 

erallv  from  it : 

j 

"  A  great  misapprehension  has  existed  in  the  public  mind,  and  this  has  been  pro 
moted  by  reckless  correspondents  to  the  press,  in  reference  to  the  amount  of  public 
property  abandoned  and  lost  at  Winchester.  'Millions  of  dollars'  worth'  are  spoken 
of,  with  the  appropriate  number  of  exclamation  points  following  the  startling  announce 
ment.  The  testimony  shows  that  but  a  small  amount  of  stores  were  on  hand.  In  fact, 
the  men  were  on  half  rations  when  the  retreat  ivas  ordered.  Ammunition  was  nearly  ex 
hausted  for  all  arms.  Under  General  Milroy's  orders,  h've  days'  supply  of  ammunition 
and  subsistence  was  constantly  kept  on  hand.  The  last  requisition  of  General  Milroy's 
ordnance  officer  had  not  been  filled  and  the  supply  was  scanty,  even  for  ordinary 
fighting,  let  alone  three  or  four  days'  continual  firing,  as  was  the  case  then.  Everything 


68  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

had  been  sent  out,  in  accordance  with  General  Schenck's  orders,  that  could  be  sent,  up  to  Sat 
urday  night,  a  large  train  having  been  sent  out  late  in  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  which  was 
followed  by  rebel  cavalry  through  Chambersburg,  and  nearly  to  Carlisle,  Penna.,  but 
finally  arrived  safely  at  Harrisburg.  But  I  am  sure  the  holding  of  that  place  as  long  as 
we  did — and  I  am  convinced  that  the  public  now  generally  believe  as  I  do— gave  us 
information  we  could  not  have  obtained  otherwise,  developed  the  plans  and  purposes  of 
the  enemy,  checked  and  delayed  his  advance  into  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania  for  three 
days,  and  by  these  means  enabled  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  follow  with  timely  re 
sistance,  and  to  prevent  the  loss  of  millions  of  property,  which  would  otherwise  have 
fallen  into  the  enemy's  hands.  The  inconsiderable  loss  suffered  at  Winchester  was  a 
trifle  compared  to  these  advantages. 

"As  to  the  conduct  of  the  retreat,  it  is  in  evidence  that  the  disasters  which  befell  the 
command  after  it  was  forced  to  evacuate  Winchester,  are  attributed  in  the  mam  either 
to  causes  beyond  the  control  of  the  commanding  officer,  or  the  failure,  at  a  critical  moment,  of 
Colonel  Me  Reynolds  to  obey  General  Milroy's  orders,  the  consequences  of  which  disobedi 
ence  were  exceedingly  serious.  No  skill  or  precaution  could  have  enabled  General 
Milroy  to  evade  the  enemy  where  he  met  him  on  Monday  morning.  He  was  posted  in  a 
position  to  command  both  roads,  at  the  point  where  the  one  leading  to  Summit  Point 
diverges  from  the  Martinsburg  road  about  four  miles  from  Winchester.  Here  we  fought 
him  until  a  signal  gun  in  the  direction  of  Winchester  was  heard,  and  the  enemy's 
cavalry  and  artillery  were  seen  in  hot  pursuit  of  us,  on  the  road  leading  from  that 
place.  General  Milroy  then  ordered  the  march  to  be  continued,  and  much  the  larger 
portion  of  his  command  escaped,  though  the  number  of  the  enemy  around  us  was 
overwhelming  !  Indeed,  the  surprise  of  every  one  in  the  engagement  was  that  so  many 
got  out  of  the  excellent  trap  the  enemy  had  set'for  us.  Notwithstanding  this  attack  was 
made  at  a  most  critical  moment,  and,  as  it  appears  in  the  evidence,  important  orders 
from  General  Milroy  were  disobeyed  by  Colonel  McReynolds,  thus  in  a  great  degree 
thwarting  the  General's  plans,  it  was  found  by  General  Schenck  that,  of  the  G/JUO  brave 
fellows  who  started  from  Winchester  that  morning,  C.,000  were  on  duty  on  the  1st  of 
September.  So  it  will  be  seen  that  the  terrible  '  reports  of  losses  '  in  circulation  just 
after  the  retreat,  are  not  sustained  by  the  facts." 


As  a  part  of  the  history  of  that  campaign,  and  as  show 
ing  how  io-norant  the  authorities  at  Washington  and  Gen. 

O  O  «* 

Hooker,  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  were  of  the  move 
ments  of  General  Lee,  we  give  helow  several  dispatches 
taken  from  the  "  Report  on  the  Conduct  of  the  War  Com 
mittee."  We  call  especial  attention  to  the  two  dispatches 
of  President  Lincoln,  dated  June  i4th.  The  first  dispatch 
in  order  is  the  one  referred  to  by  General  Hooker  in  his 
testimony  before  the  Court  of  Inquiry. 

"May  28,  1803. 
"  Letter  to  Hon.  E.  M.  Stanton  : 

"  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  give  any  information  concerning  the  movements  of  the 
enemy  at  all  satisfactory.  *  *  *  Maj.  Gen.  Stahl  should  be  instructed  to  look  into  the 
Shenandoah  Valley  and  see  what  is  going  on  over  there.  *  *  ••'• 

"JOSEPH  HOOKER,  Major  Gen'l  Com'd'g." 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  69 

"  WARRENTON  JUNCTION,  June  12,  1808. — 7  p.  M. 
"  Gen' I  S.  Williams,  A.  A.  G. 

"  A  colored  boy  just,  captured  on  (Tuesday)  the  nth,  states  that  Ewell's  corps  passed 
through  Culpepper  on  Monday  last,  on  their  way  to  the  Valley,  and  that  Longstreet's 
had  gone  also.  A  second  negro,  just  across  the  river,  confirms  the  statement.  I  send  a 
reconnoisance  to  find  out  the  truth. 

"A.  PLEASANTON,  Brig.  Gen'l." 

The   following  is  from    Hooker's   testimony  before   the 
committee: 


'  Had  this  information  been  communicated  to  Gen.  Milroy,  probably  the  disaster 
might  have  been  averted,  as  that  oHicer  would  have  had  sutlicient  notice  of  their 
approach  to  have  withdrawn  his  command.  In  view  of  the  information  I  had  received 
Irom  Gen.  1'leasanton  of  the  presence  of  an  infantry  corps  at  Culpepper,  I  had,  on  the 
11th,  ordered  the  Third  coips  to  take  post  on  the  river,  from  Rappahannock  Station 
to  Beverly  Ford  ;  on  the  1-th  for  the  First  corps  to  proceed  to  Bealton,  and  the  Eleventh 
to  Catlett's  Station." 

IN  CIPHER. 

"  WASHINGTON,  June  H,  180:!. 
"  Major  Gen'l  Hooker  : 

"  Do  you  consider  it  possible  that  fifteen  thousand  of  Ewell's  men  can  now  be  at 
Winchester? 

Sent  1:14  I-.  M.  "A.LINCOLN." 

Not  less  than  40,000  men  of  Lee's  army  were  there 
then. 

"  WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  June  14,  '(53. 
"  Maj.  Gen.  Hooker: 

"  So  far  as  we  can  make  out  here,  the  enemy  have  Milroy  surrounded  at  Winches 
ter,  and  Tyler  at  Martmsburg.  If  they  could  hold  out  a  few  days,  could  you  help 
them  ?  If  the  head  of  Lee's  army  is  at  Martinsburg,  and  the  tail,of  it  on  the  plank  road 
between  Fredericksburg  and  Chancellorsville,  the  animal  must  be  very  slim  somewhere; 
could  you  not  break  him  ? 

Sent  5:50  v.  M.  "  A.  LINCOLN." 

How  characteristic  is  this  dispatch  of  President  Lincoln. 

"  HEAIXJUAKTKRS  ARMY  POTOMAC,      ) 
"  DUMFRIES,  June  14,  186:5.— 11:15  v.  M.  j 
"  7/i.s  Krcellency,  the  President  : 

"  Has  anything  further  been  heard  from  Winchester  ?  Will  the  President  allow  me 
to  inquire  if  it  is  his  opinion  that  Winchester  is  surrounded  by  rel>el  forces  ?  *  *  *  I 
do  not  feel  like  making  a  move  unless  I  be  satisfied  as  to  his  whereabouts.  To  proceed 
to  Winchester,  and  have  him  make  his  appearance  elsewhere,  would  subject  me  to  ridi 
cule.  With  this  feeling,  unless  otherwise  directed,  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  proceed  to 
execute  the  movement  indicated  yesterday.  1  will  not,  however,  issue  my  order  of 
march  until  the  last  moment,  in  the  hope  that  further  information  may  be  received. 

"  MAJ.  GEN'L  HOOKER." 


7O  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

"  WAR  DEPARTMENT,      \ 
"  WASHINGTON  CITY,  June  14,  1863.  j 
"  Maj.  Gen' I  Hooker,  Dumfries: 

"  No  doubt  is  entertained  here  that  Milroy  is  surrounded  at  Wincliester,  and  so 
closely  invested  that  no  scout  or  other  information  has  been  had  from  him  later  than 
eleven  o'clock  Saturday  night.  Tyler  was  also  surrounded  to-day  at  Martinsburg.  *  * 

Sent  12  midnight.  "  EDWIN  M.  STANTON." 

IN  CIPHER. 

"  HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  ARMY,         ") 
"  WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  June,  15,  1863.  j 
"  Major  Gen' I  Hooker,  Army  of  the  Potomac  : 

"  No  information  of  enemy  in  direction  of  Winchester  and  Harper's  Ferry  as  late  as 
that  from  General  Pleasanton.  The  forces  at  Martinsburg  are  arriving  at  Harper's 
Ferry. 

Sent  12:50  p.  M.  "  H.  W.  HALLECK,  Gen'1-in-Chief." 

"  HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  ARMY,     1 
"  WASHINGTON,  D.  C..  June  15,  '63.  j 
"  Maj.  Gen' I  Hooker,  Army  of  the  Potomac  : 

"Garrison  of  Martinsburg  has  arrived  at  Harper's  Ferry.  Milroy  did  not  obey 
orders  given  on  the  llth  to  abandon  Winchester,  and  probably  has  been  or  will  be  cap 
tured.  Harper's  Ferry  ought  to  hold  out  some  time.  *  *  * 

Sent  2  p.  M.  "  H.  W.  HALLECK,  Gen'1-in-Chief." 

"  BALTIMORE,  MD.,  June  15,  '63. 
"  Maj.  Gen'l  Hallack,  Gen' l-in- Chief  : 

"  Nothing  from  Milroy  since  11  P.  M.  Saturday.  Is  it  not  possible  to  have  a  cavalry 
movement  in  front  as  a  diversion  in  his  favor  V" 

"  R.  C.  SCHENCK,  Maj.  Gen'l." 

"  BALTIMORE,  June  15,  18G3. 
"  Maj.  Gen'l  H.  W.  Halleck: 

"Have  not  yet  received  report  from  Milroy.  Gen.  Kelley,  here  on  his  way,  via 
Harrisburg,  to  New  Creek,  says  before  he  left  Harper's  Ferry,  about  1  this  P.  M.,  abont 
2,000  of  Milroy's  men  had  arrived.  The  rebels  appeared  before  Winchester  in  lour 
divisions,  commanded  by  Evvell,  Evans,  Early  and  Rhodes,  numbering  about  40,000. 
Milroy  fought  till  2  this  morning,  when  he  determined  to  evacuate  and  cut  his  way  out. 
Spiking  his  guns,  and  destroying  stores,  he  marched  some  distance  before  his  move 
ments  were  discovered.  He  was  pursued  and  attacked  six  miles  out  of  Winchester, 
and  was  shelled  for  several  miles.  His  loss  is  probably  2,000  men,  but  that  may  be 
exaggerated.  Will  send,  as  soon  as  received,  further  and  more  exact  report. 

"R.  C.  SCHENCK,  Maj.  Gen'l." 

"  BALTIMORE,  Mn.,  June  15,  1863. 
"  Gen'l  Halleck  : 

"Gen.  Milroy  has  cut  his  way  through  and  arrived  at  Harper's  Ferry.  His  losses 
reported  considerable,  with  great  damage  to  the  enemy.  He  will  telegraph  soon. 
Tyler  brought  troops  from  Martinsburg  to  Maryland  Heights,  and  is  in  command 
there.  Have  sent  Kelley  around  to  New  Creek  to  concentrate  troops  on  western  por 
tion  of  railroad.  Ordered  Averill  to  concentrate  at  Grafton,  with  a  view  to  covering 
approaches  to  Wheeling,  and  to  come  eastward,  perhaps  also  to  New  Creek,  to  hold  as 
much  as  possible  of  the  railroad  eastward  towards  Martinsburg. 

"  R.  C.  SCHENCK,  Maj.  Gen'l." 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  7 1 

Nothing  could  exceed  the  injustice  of  General  Halleck's 
charge  that  General  Milroy  disobeyed  "orders  given  on 
the  nth  to  abandon  Winchester."  He,  better  than  any 
other  man  living,  knew  that  no  such  orders  were  given 
Milroy.  General  Halleck's  dispatches  were  all  before  the 
Court  of  Inquiry,  and  of  them  Mr.  Lincoln  said:  "Some 
question  can  be  rmide  whether  some  of  General  Halleck's 
dispatches  to  General  Sc/ienck  should  not  have  been  con 
strued  to  be  orders  to  withdraw.  But,"  says  Mr.  Lincoln, 
"  no  such  question  can  be  .made  against  Milroy"  thus 
showing  that  Halleck  issued  no  positive  order,  even  to 
Schenck,  to  withdraw,  and  no  order,  that  by  any  construc 
tion  could  be  made  to  mean  so,  ever  reached  Milroy. 
Nothing  ever  occurred  during  the  war  for  which  there  was 
so  little  excuse  as  allowing  Lee's  army  to  escape  from  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  to  throw  itself  upon  Milroy's 
little  force  at  Winchester,  without  warning  to  it,  or  with 
out  the  knowledge  of  Halleck,  the  General-in-Chief  of  the 
Armies  of  the  United  States.  Then  for  him  to  attempt  to 
cast  the  blame  from  himself  to  Milroy,  was  a  heartless  and 
cruel  injustice,  exceeding  anything  to  be  found  in  the  igno 
ble  career  of  that  incompetent  and  malevolent  chief.  I  take 
pleasure  in  thus  again  putting  on  record  this  complete  ex 
oneration  of  General  Milroy  and  his  little  army.  Every 
word  of  it  has  been  fully  verified  by  subsequent  history, 
and  the  brave  old  General,  being  shortly  afterward  restored 
to  command,  did  gallant  service  in  the  Army  of  the  Cum 
berland,  and  especially  at  Murfreesboro,  during  Hood's  dis 
astrous  campaign  against  General  Thomas,  in  December, 
1864. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE     FALL    AND     WINTER     AT     MARTINSBURG — -ALONG     THE 

B.  &  O.  R.  R. PREPARING  FOR  THE  CAMPAIGN  OF    1864— 

REGIMENT    ORDERED     TO     llARPKR's     FERRY -BRIGADED 

ANEW GENERAL     SIGEL      TAKES     COMMAND UP     THE 

VALLEY A  SHAM   BATTLE BATTLE  OF   NEW  MARKET. 

When  we  reached  Martinsbufg,  Colonel  McReynolds 
appeared  on  the  ground  and  assumed  command,  and  among 
other  things,  directed  the  n6th  to  encamp  on  the  grounds 
of  the  rebel  Faulkner,  and  protect  that  gentleman's  house, 
grounds  and  property.  The  n6th  went  into  camp  as  di 
rected,  but  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes  refused  to  carry  out 
that  part  of  the  order  requiring  him  to  "guard  Faulkner's 
grounds,  house  and  property."  Colonel  McReynolds  im 
mediately  placed  him  in  arrest.  General  Kelley,  who  was 
in  command  of  the  department  at  the  time,  with  headquar 
ters  at  Cumberland,  on  hearing  of  this,  released  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Wildes  from  arrest,  and,  relieving  Colonel  Mc 
Reynolds  from  command,  ordered  him  to  report  to  Wash 
ington  for  trial  by  court  martial,  under  charges  of  disobe 
dience  of  orders  on  the  retreat  from  Winchester.  The 
n6th  was  then  removed  from  the  Faulkner  grounds  to 
another  camp,  and  that  rebel's  property  allowed  thereafter 
to  share  the  same  fortunes  of  war  enjoyed  by  all  other 
rebels.  Colonel  McReynolds  never  returned  to  his  regi 
ment,  nor  to  any  other  command  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley, 
except  the  post,  just  as  we  were  starting  out,  in  April, 
1864.  What  became  of  the  charges  against  him  we  never 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  73 

learned.  His  regiment,  the  ist  New  York  cavalry,  was 
one  of  the  best  cavalry  regiments  in  the  service,  made  so, 
not  by  him,  but  by  the  gallant  Adams,  Quinn,  and  as  fine  a 
lot  of  company  officers  as  ever  rode  horses.  He  was  as 
near  being  a  "'rebel  sympathizer"  as  any  man  ever  seen  in 
the  Federal  Army.  During  his  short  stay  in  Martinsburg 
the  rebel  citizens  of  the  place  were  in  high  feather,  while 
the  Union  people  were  correspondingly  depressed.  In 
Colonel  McReynolds's  absence,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes 
commanded  the  post. 

In  passing  from  this  subject  it  should  be  said  of  Mrs. 
Faulkner  and  her  family,  that  they  afterwards  endeared 
themselves  to  the  soldiers  by  their  kindness  to  our  sick, 
especially  to  Sergeant  Patterson,  and  no  special  guards 
were  necessary  for  their  protection  as  soon  as  the  soldiers 
learned  how  good  and  kind  they  were.  Under  date  of 
August  5th,  1863,  Patterson  had  Walker  write  in  his 
diary,  he  being  too  sick  with  fever  to  write  in  it  himself: 
u  Through  to  Martinsburg.  We  are  encamped  in  the  lawn 
in  front  of  Faulkner's  house.  He  was  Minister  to  France, 
and,  for  a  while,  tried  to  be  a  Union  man,  but  is  now  in  the 
rebel  army.  It  is  rumored  in  camp  that  we  are  to  move 
to-morrow,  for  fear  we  will  do  some  damage  to  his 
grounds.  If  we  do  go,  I  hope  our  boys  will  destroy  every 
thing  he  has.  The  lawn  contains  about  eight  acres  and  is 
ornamented  with  shade  trees  of  different  kinds.  A  drive 
extends  from  the  front  gate  to  the  house.  The  plat  in 
front  is  ornamented  with  small  shrubbery  and  roses." 
And,  under  elate  of  the  6th,  Walker  again  writes  for  him: 
"  Moved  our  camp  to-day,  but  instead  of  going  to  the 
woods,  only  moved  across  the  drive."  Under  date  of  the 
loth:  "Mrs.  and  Miss  Faulkner  came  to  see  me  to-day 
noon  and  brought  me  some  dinner.  They  seemed  very 
kind  and  offered  to  send  me  anything  I  wanted."  Daily 
after  that,  up  to  the  24th,  when  he  went  home  on  furlough, 


74  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

his  diary  had  some  kind  mention  of  them,  such  as  "  Mrs. 
Faulkner  still  visits  me  daily,  and  furnishes  me  everything 
I  need  and  more.  Her  ice  does  me  much  good.  What 
ever  our  feelings  may  be  towards  her  rebel  husband,  we 
cannot  help  liking  her  and  her  daughter,  who  have  been  so 
kind  to  us.  Our  men  all  show  their  gratitude  by  their  care 
of  everything  here."  And  so  many  other  diaries  and  let 
ters  in  my  possession  speak  of  Mrs.  and  Miss  Faulkner. 

While  in  command  of  the  post,  several  orders  came  to 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes  from  General  Kelley  to  collect 
assessments  from  rebels  in  the  vicinity  of  Shepherdstown, 
Kearneyville  and  Charlestown,  to  indemnify  Union  citizens 
for  property  destroyed  by  rebel  guerrillas.  The  n6th  was 
often  on  these  "  collecting  tours,"  and  became  quite  expert 
in  the  business.  The  following  is  a  sample  of  numerous 
receipts  in  my  possession : 

"  MARTINSHUBG,  VA.,  February  28,  1864. 

"  Received  ot  Lt.  Col.  Thos.  F.  Wildes,  116th  Reg't  Ohio  Volunteers,  ($1,485.00) 
"  fourteen  hundred  and  eighty-five  dollars,  which  sum  was  collected  from  rebel 
"  citizens  in  the  vicinity  ol  Kearneyville,  Va.,  and  paid  over  to  Jacob  Williamson,  to 
"  indemnify  him  for  the  loss  of  a  barn  burned  by  the  rebels. 

(HKJNED)  "  JACOB  WILLIAMSON. 

"  ATTEST:— HORACE  KELLOGG,  Major  12:5d  O.  V.  I." 

This  course  of  procedure  had  a  very  salutary  effect.  It 
was  well  understood  that  the  rebel  citizens  pointed  out  the 
houses  of  Union  men  to  these  rebel  marauders,  and  \vhen 
it  became  understood  by  them  that  they  would  have  to  pay 
for  all  property  destroyed  belonging  to  Union  men,  the  de 
struction  of  such  property  decreased  amazingly. 

At  the  October,  1863,  election,  the  regiment  was  ex 
cused  from  all  ordinary  duty.  The  election  passed  off 
quietly  and  orderly.  The  vote  at  the  close  of  the  polls 
stood : 

FOR  GOVERNOR. 

John  Brough,         .        .         .        398  votes. 
C-  L-  Vallandigham,        .       .     50  votes. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  75 

For  some  time  a  great  deal  of  curiosity  existed  and  some 
indignation  was  felt  over  the  fifty  votes  for  Vallandigham. 
But  the  officers  put  a  stop  to  political  discussions  and  the 
excited  feeling  soon  subsided.  Before  the  election,  how 
ever,  not  the  least  restraint  was  exercised  against  anyone 
voting  as  he  pleased. 

Martinshurg  was  headquarters  of  the  regiment  until 
April  29,  1864,  though  during  that  time  several  companies 
were  scattered  at  various  points  along  the  B.  &  O.  Railroad, 
from  Sleepy  Creek  to  Ke,arneyville.  While  lying  here, 
Lieutenant  Wm.  Spriggs  of  company  H  was  cashiered  and 
dismissed  from  the  service  ufor  using  disloyal  and  treason 
able  language  against  the  Government  of  the  United  States, 
disrespectful  language  of  the  President,  and  other  conduct 
unbecoming  an  officer  and  a  gentleman."  During  Septem 
ber  and  October  there  were  frequent  alarms,  occasioned  by 
rumors  that  Lee  was  returning  again  down  the  Valley. 
About  the  2Oth  of  October  Lee's  left  wing  was  reported  at 
Leesburg,  that  he  was  preparing  to  cross  the  Potomac,  in 
which  event  a  portion,  at  least,  of  his  army  would  pass 
through  Martinsburg.  Accordingly,  all  surplus  supplies, 
Quartermaster's  and  Commissary  stores,  except  five  days' 
rations,  were  sent  to  Harper's  Ferry.  On  the  next  day 
sharp  cannonading  was  heard  in  the  direction  of  Charles- 
town,  and  re-enforcements  of  cavalry,  artillery  and  infantry 
were  dispatched  from  Martinsburg,  but  before  they  arrived, 
a  part  of  the  pth  Maryland  regiment  stationed  there  had 
been  captured  by  Imboden.  Imboden  was  defeated  and  fol 
lowed  some  distance.  Some  of  the  pth  Maryland  were  re 
captured,  a  section  of  artillery  and  many  prisoners  taken. 
Our  orders,  on  the  troops  leaving  for  Charlestown,  were  to 
pack  up  and  load  and  be  ready  to  fight  or  retreat,  as  emer 
gency  required,  and  we  remained  in  this  condition  until 
their  return,  when  quiet  again  reigned.  About  the  same 
time,  perhaps  a  day  or  two  earlier,  company  E,  of  the 


76  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

1 1 6th,  stationed  at  North  Mountain,  together  with  two 
companies  of  cavalry,  one  of  the  ist  New  York,  and  one  of 
the  1 2th  Pennsylvania,  captured  forty  of  Gilmore's  guer 
rillas  and  fifty  horses.  They  were  concealed  in  a  ravine 
and  were  neatly  surrounded  and  surprised,  neither  side 
firing  a  gun.  About  the  same  time  a  passenger  train  was 
captured  between  Kearneyville  and  Harper's  Ferry  and  the 
passengers  robbed  of  everything.  An  iron  clad  car  upon 
which  was  placed  a  piece  of  artillery,  and  which  was  loop- 
holed  for  infantry,  was  used  in  % picketing  the  track  from 
Kearneyville  to  Sleepy  Creek.  A  great  commotion  was 
created  one  night  by  some  one  beating  the  "long  roll"  in 
camp.  All  the  troops  were  under  arms  in  a  moment  and 
awaited  developments.  Heavy  parties  of  troops  were  sent 
out  to  occupy  the  roads  and  certain  advantageous  points. 
After  waiting  some  time  for  the  appearance  of  the  enemy,  it 
was  ascertained  that  the  alarm  had  been  made  by  the  Col 
onel  of  the  1 2th  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  becoming  a  little 
hilarious,  beating  the  "  long  roll "  to  show  what  he  could  do 
as  a  drummer.  He  was  placed  in  arrest  as  soon  as  the 
discovery  was  made,  and  charges  preferred  against  him. 
They  were  afterwards  withdrawn  on  his  promise  to  "re 
form." 

The  loth  Maryland  eastern  shore  regiment  came  to 
Martinsburg  one  very  cold  night  without  their  tents  or 
blankets,  and  the  n6th  took  the  whole  regiment  into  their 
quarters.  The  Colonel  next  morning  made  a  neat  speech 
to  us,  in  which  he  thanked  us  heartily  for  our  hospitality. 
Some  of  our  men  said  it  was  the  prettiest  speech  they  ever 
heard.  When  the  1 8th  Connecticut  joined  us,  it  camped 
beside  our  regiment.  The  men  were  short  of  rations,  and 
they  beseiged  our  Sutler  for  "cookies"  and  everything  else 
he  had  to  eat.  Mr.  Armstrong,  the  Sutler,  couldn't  make 
out  what  they  meant  by  "cookies,"  and  his  confusion  for  a 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  77 

time  was  very  amusing.  The  iSth  Connecticut  was  always 
known  among  us  after  that  as  the  "cookie  regiment." 

A  notorious  rebel  spy  by  the  name  of  Belle  Boyd  made 
herself  quite  conspicuous  several  times  at  Martinsburg. 
She  was  several  times  discovered,  arrested  and  sent  under 
guard  to  Baltimore  or  Washington.  She  would  there  be 
released  under  promise  to  behave  herself  and  keep  out  of 
the  Union  lines.  On  one  occasion  she  returned  on  the  same 
train  with  the  guard  who  had  escorted  her  to  Baltimore, 
dressed  as  a  Union  soldier,  and  representing  herself  as  re 
turning  to  a  Maryland  regiment  from  furlough.  She  was 
detected,  not  bv  her  recent  guard,  but  by  some  Union  citi- 

»/  c5  J 

zen,  as  she  alighted  from  the  train  at  Martinsburg.  Upon 
being  searched,  she  was  found  to  have  a  great  number  of 
letters  to  rebels  and  to  Confederate  soldiers  up  the  Valley, 
and  a  Confederate  uniform  under  her  outward  uniform  of 
blue.  She  was  irrepressible,  and  a  perplexing  individual  to 
manage.  Doubtless  she  was  often  among  us  in  disguise 
when  we  knew  nothing  about  it.  Once,  at  least,  when  cap 
tured,  she  pretended  to  be  insane,  and  insanity  was  never 
better  feigned  than  by  her.  Finally,  she  was  "let  alone," 
and  as  soon  as  importance  ceased  to  be  given  to  her  move 
ments,  she  settled  down  at  her  home  in  Martinsburg  and 
behaved  as  well  as  any  one.  But  she  was  always  the  same 
arrant  little  rebel,  and  ready  at  all  times  for  an  argument 
against  the  Government,  and  in  favor  of  secession. 

The  regiment  lay  at  Martinsburg  until  November  ipth, 
when  it  was  all  detailed  at  different  points  along  the 
B.  &  O.  Railroad.  Some  companies  had  been  at  points  on 
the  road  from  soon  after  our  arrival  in  Martinsburg,  in  the 
early  part  of  August.  Now  it  all  went,  and  the  field  and 
staff  officers  soon  found  themselves  "more  ornamental  than 
useful."  Major  Morris  took  charge  of  the  stations  west  of 
North  Mountain,  making  his  headquarters  there.  Lieuten 
ant  Colonel  Wildes  was  detailed  as  President  of  a  Court 


78  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 

Martial,  and  Colonel  Washburn  was  generally  in  command 
of  some  brigade  of  troops,  and  looking  after  the  welfare  of 
the  regiment  as  well  as  he  could  in  its  scattered  condition. 
Thus  the  time  was  spent  until  the  breaking  of  winter.  As 
attesting  the  vigilance  and  faithfulness  of  the  different  com 
panies  in  the  discharge  of  this  unpleasant  and  responsible 
service,  it  can  be  stated  that  no  raid  was  successfully  made 
upon,  or  damage  done,  to  the  road  during  the  time  they 
were  guarding  it.  The  service  was  a  very  severe  one,  the 
different  companies  being  almost  constantly  engaged  in 
scouting  and  pursuing  small  parties  of  rebels.  They  cleared 
the  whole  country  for  miles  of  rebel  bushwhackers,  and 
captured  a  large  number  of  prisoners,  aggregating  more 
than  their  own  number. 

On  the  25th  of  November,  Sergeant  William  Brister,  of 
F,  was  accidentally  shot  and  killed  at  Duffield  Station  by 
private  Stephen  Hogue  of  the  same  company.  It  seems 
that  Sergeant  Silas  King  had  just  returned  to  camp  from  a 
scout  on  which  he  had  found  a  number  of  arms.  Among 
them  was  an  old  flintlock  musket.  Seeing  Hogue  ap 
proaching,  Sergeant  Brister  playfully  picked  it  up  and 
pointed  it  toward  him.  Hogue,  in  the  same  playful  mood, 
picked  up  a  musket,  which  he  thought  unloaded,  and  point 
ed  it  toward  the  Sergeant  and  pulled  the  trigger.  It 
proved  to  be  loaded,  and  Sergeant  Brister  was  shot  through 
the  breast  and  died  in  a  few  minutes.  It  was  a  dreadfully 
unfortunate  occurrence  and  nearly  crazed  Hogue,  as  the 
two  men  were  close  neighbors  at  home,  and  very  warm 
friends.  Hogue  soon  afterwards  wrote  to  Brister's  friends, 
saying  that  he  "had  killed  the  best  friend  he  had  on  earth." 
Brister's  remains  were  sent  home. 

On  the  ist  of  March,  1864,  tne  regiment  was  gotten 
together  at  Martinsburg,  being  relieved  by  the  12 3d  Ohio. 
Troops  were  now  congregating  in  considerable  force  under 
General  Sigel,  who  had  been  assigned  to  the  command  of 


ONK    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  79 

the  department.  Under  date  of  the  3d  of  March,  1864, 
General  Milroy  wrote  me  from  Washington,  in  which  he 
expressed  a  hope  that  he  might  be  assigned  to  command  in 
the  Valley.  No  one  could  have  been  assigned  to  our  com 
mand  that  would  have  given  more  general  satisfaction  to 
the  troops.  But  General  Milroy  was  under  the  ban  of  the 
ogre  General  Halleck,  and  could  not  expect  a  command  as 
long  as  Halleck  controlled  army  affairs.  Milroy  rejoiced 
that  General  Grant  had  just  been  appointed  Lieutenant 
General,  and  that  now  he  had  hopes  of  a  command,  and  it 
might  be  remarked  that  the  armies,  everywhere,  had  hopes 
that  newspaper  generals,  and  political  considerations  in  the 
appointment  of  army  commanders,  and  public  clamor  of 
"on  to  Richmond,"  and  so  forth,  had  had  their  day  in  the 
conduct  of  the  war,  and  that  henceforth  it  was  to.be  carried 
on  according  to  strict  military  rules  and  principles.  Gen 
eral  Grant,  in  assuming  command  of  the  armies  of  the 
United  States,  had,  in  substance,  said  to  the  President  and 
the  people  of  the  country  what  a  Roman  Consul  said  to  the 
Roman  Senate  and  people,  on  his  leaving  for  the  seat  of 
war  in  Macedonia:  "If  there  be  any  one  who  conceives 
himself  capable  of  assisting  me  with  his  counsels  in  the  war 
you  have  charged  me  with,  let  him  not  refuse  to  do  the 
Republic  that  service,  but  let  him  go  with  me  into  Mace 
donia.  But,  if  he  will  not  take  so  much  trouble,  and  prefers 
the  tranquility  of  the  city  to  the  dangers  and  fatigues  of  the 
field,  let  him  not  take  upon  him  to  hold  the  helm  and  con 
tinue  idle  in  the  port.  The  city  of  itself  supplies  sufficient 
matter  of  discourse  on  other  subjects,  but  as  for  these,  let 
him  be  silent  on  them,  and  know  that  we  shall  pay  no  re 
gard  to  any  counsels,  but  such  as  shall  be  given  us  in  the 
camp  itself."  And  General  Grant  acted  upon  this  policy  to 
the  end  of  the  war. 

On  the  pth  of  March  the  34th  Massachusetts  arrived  at 
Martin  sburg,  and  Colonel  Wells  assumed  command  of  the 


80  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

post.  In  due  time  we  all  paid  him  our  respects,  generally 
leaving  his  presence  with  a  very  good  opinion  of  him.  His 
regiment  was  a  very  fine  one.  Having  had  a  great  deal  of 
garrison  duty  about  Washington,  it  was  remarkably  well 
drilled  and  under  good  discipline.  It  was  so  much  more 
neatly  dressed  and  so  completely  equipped,  compared  to  our 
own  regiment,  that  it  was  a  sort  of  curiosity  to  our  "rough 
Ohio  fellers,"  as  its  officers  and  men  often  spoke  of  us. 
But  on  the  third  of  April,  it  went  back  to  Harper's  Ferry. 
On  the  1 2th  of  April,  the  n6th  and  i2^d  followed  to 
Harper's  Ferry  and  encamped  on  Bolivar  Heights.  On 
the  1 5th  we  received  orders  from  "Headquarters  First  In 
fantry  Division,"  General  Sullivan  commanding,  forming  a 
brigade  composed  of  the  34th  Massachusetts,  n6th  Ohio, 
1 23d  Ohio,  and  the  30!  Maryland  (Snows)  Battery,  Colonel 
Wells,  of  the  34th  Massachusetts,  commanding  the  brigade. 
Of  this  brigade,  General  Lincoln,  in  his  admirable  history 
of  the  34th  Massachusetts,  is  moved  to  remark  as  follows: 
"Heaven  help  us!  except  the  34th,  this  infantry  is  neither 
drilled  nor  disciplined;  this,  however,  from  no  fault  of  theirs. 
The  bulk  of  the  rank  and  file  of  these  commands  was  cap 
tured  at  Milroy's  defeat  last  summer.  The  men  were 
paroled  soon  after  and  have  been  scattered  in  small  squads 
along  the  B.  &  O.  Railroad  on  picket  guard.  The  officers, 
however,  were  retained  as  prisoners,  and  many  are,  in  fact, 
still  in  rebel  hands.  It  looks  as  if  we  were  to  suffer  from 
the  connection."  I  have  looked  carefully  through  General 
Lincoln's  interesting  book  for  verification  of  the  fear  that 
they  were  to  "suffer  from  the  connection."  On  the  con 
trary,  I  am  led,  from  his  frequent  compliments  to  the  u6th, 
to  conclude  that  his  fears  were  never  realized.  The  fact  is, 
the  34th  then,  very  generally  regarded  itself  badly  mismated 
with  us.  We  were  looked  upon  as  a  lot  of  barbarians  by 
these  well  drilled,  well  disciplined,  highly  cultured  eastern 
soldiers.  They  had  performed  garrison  and  patrol  duty  at 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  8 1 

Washington,  from  their  enlistment  up  to  July,  1863,  since 
which  time  they  had,  with  little  exception,  enjoyed  magnifi 
cent  quarters  at  Harper's  Ferry.  At  Washington  the  reg 
iment  was  the  admiration  of  all  beholders,  if  we  are  to 
credit  General  Lincoln,  and  we  see  no  reason  why  we 
should  not.  Many  of  its  officers,  while  brave,  good  sol 
diers,  were  also  martinets.  But  before  we  separated  in 
1865  at  Richmond,  we  had  learned  to  respect  these  marti 
nets  as  plumed  and  chivalric  knights.  It  had,  withal,  a 
well  trained  brass  band,  and  was  in  every  way  well  pre 
pared  for  serenades,  parades  and  reviews,  so  much  in  vogue 
in  Washington  early  in  the  war.  While  we,  poor-  fellows, 
with  constant  marching,  scouting,  picketing,  to  say  nothing 
of  now  and  then  a  little  righting,  would  make  a  sad  display 
in  either  of  these  three  ornamental  positions.  In  short, 
there  were  no  ornaments  about  us  or  among  us,  if  we  ex 
cept,  perhaps,  a  few  good  looking  officers,  notably  the 
Major,  Adjutant,  Captain  Karr,  Lieutenant  Frame  and  one 
•  or  two  others.  But  before  we  separated  at  Richmond  in 
1865,  the  34th  Massachusetts  regiment  felt  as  much  pride 
in  the  history  the  First  Brigade  had  made  for  itself,  as  was 
felt  by  any  regiment  in  it.  It  was  not  then  ashamed  of  the 
"  connection  "  formed  fourteen  months  before,  nor  was  there 
an  officer  or  man  in  it  who  felt  that  he  had  "suffered  by 
the  connection." 

On  the  i  yth  of  April  we  started  back  to  Martinsburg, 
reaching  there  the  evening  of  the  iSth.  The  next  day 
Colonel  Wells  was  relieved  of  the  command  of  the  brigade 
and  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  post,  and  Colonel 
Washburn  was  placed  in  command  of  the  brigade.  The 
congregating  of  troops  at  Martinsburg  had  excited  the  cu 
riosity  of  the  enemy,  and  there  were  a  great  many  small 
parties  scattered  about  the  country  annoying  us  constantly. 
As  we  arrived  at  Martinsburg,  we  found  General  Averill 
just  leaving  for  West  Virginia  with  his  cavalry.  General 


82  »   ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    0.  V.  I. 

Averil,  on  leaving,  placed  Colonel  Me  Reynolds,  who  had 
made  his  appearance  here  again,  in  command  of  the  post. 
But  Colonel  Wells  was  in  possession  of  post  headquarters, 
and  so  for  several  days  we  were  receiving  orders  from  both 
these  officers  which  were  often,  and  in  fact  generally,  in 
conflict.  During  this  time  no  one  knew  whether  he  "was 
a-foot  or  a-horseback.  Colonel  Wells's  orders  were,  how 
ever,  very  generally  obeyed,  owing  to  the  utter  dislike  felt 
by  everybody  for  McReynolds.  It  was  soon  adjusted, 
however,  by  Colonel  Wells  abandoning  the  contest  and 
going  back  to  his  regiment.  We  were  now  brigaded  anew. 
Our  brigade  was  composed  of  the  28th,  n6th,  12 3d  Ohio 
and  1 8th  Connecticut,  with  Colonel  Moore,  of  the  28th,  in 
command.  That  is,  he  \vould  be  when  he  arrived,  which 
he  did  not  do  till  we  reached  Winchester,  during  which 
time  Colonel  Washburn  commanded.  The  34th  left  us  for 
a  short  time  for  duty  in  another  brigade. 

On  the  2Oth  General  Sigel  issued  an  order  allowing 
thirteen  teams  to  a  regiment.  He  told  Colonel  Washburn, 
one  day,  "Turn  over  your  tents  and  be  very  ready  to 
march."  On  the  26th  another  order  came  allowing  one 
team  for  headquarters,  and  one  for  every  300  men,  each 
man  to  carry  in  his  knapsack  one  extra  shirt,  one  pair  of 
socks,  one  pair  of  shoes,  and  soap  and  towels.  On  the 
2yth  we  had  a  "garrison  review,"  and  such  a  time  as  wre 
had  finding  our  places  in  the  line  was  never  seen  before. 
The  brigades  had  never  been  in  line  together  before,  and 
all  questions  of  rank  had  to  be  settled  on  the  parade  ground 
before  any  one  knew  or  would  take  place  in  the  line. 
After  all  preliminaries  were  settled,  the  review  went  off 
very  well.  Our  regiment  numbered  nearly  800  men  and 
looked  like  a  brigade  itself.  Colonel  Thoburn  was  in  com 
mand  of  the  second  brigade,  ours  being  known  as  the  first. 
On  the  2pth  of  April  we  moved  out  of  Martinsburg  up  the 
Valley,  stopping  the  first  night  at  Bunker  Hill.  Generals 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1.  83 

Sigel,  Stahel  and  Sullivan  were  with  us,  Sigel  in  command 
of  the  army,  Stahel  of  the  cavalry,  Sullivan  of  the  infantry, 
the  latter  being  composed  of  eight  regiments.  Our  cavalry 
force  was  not  very  large,  only  about  1,500,  but  we  had  a 
good  supply  of  artillery,  four  batteries.  In  speaking  of  the 
infantry,  General  Lincoln  says:  "The  54th  Pennsylvania 
is  fair,  the  I2th"  West  Virginia  pretty  good;  the  rest  are 
barely  -passable"  It  will  be  seen  that  the  34th  was  deemed 
beyond  comparison  with  any  other  regiment  in  the  com 
mand,  and  so  was  not  mentioned,  while  the  n6th  and  the 
rest  were  "barely  passable."  We  remained  at  Bunker  Hill 
until  May  ist,  when  we  marched  to  Winchester,  camping 
about  two  miles  the  other  side  of  the  place.  Much  display 
of  the  stars  and  stripes  was  visible  as  we  passed  through, 
more  than  we  had  ever  observed  before.  Little  Willie 
McFielly,  the  Lieutenant  Colonel's  boy,  was  carrying  a 
"marker"  at  the  head  of  the  regiment  as  it  marched  through 
Winchester,  when  some  woman,  who  was  very  glad  to  see 
us,  called  out:  "That's  right,  little  boy,  raise  it  up  high? 
clear  up,  and  let  everybody  see  it."  Colonel  Washburn, 
still  in  command  of  the  brigade,  detailed  Quartermaster 
Williams  as  Brigade  Quartermaster,  and  Lieutenant  W.  L. 
Mosely  was  detailed  to  act  as  Regimental  Quartermaster, 
but  only  remained  one  da-y,  when  he  was  returned  to  his 
company.  Quartermaster  Williams  had  his  horse  stolen, 
and  looked  through  all  the  cavalry  for  it,  finally  rinding  it 
in  the  camp  of  the  ist  New  York.  On  the  day  after  our 
arrival  at  Winchester  our  men  wandered  over  the  battle 
grounds  of  June,  1863,  and  finding  some  of  our  dead  but 
poorly  buried  by  the  rebels,  selected  a  nice  spot  and  buried 
them  decently.  The  cavalry  burned  a  house  from  which 
one  of  their  men  was  shot  a  few  days  before  our  arrival. 

On  the  4th,  the  men  were  ordered  to  pack  all  spare 
clothing  in  their  knapsacks  for  transportation  to  Martins- 
burg,  and  officers  were  bereft  of  almost  everything.  We 


84  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

were  down  to  our  "fighting  weight."  An  order  was  re 
ceived  for  brigade  drill  on  the  morrow,  and  officers  were 
studying  Casey  diligently.  The  morrow  came,  and  with  it 
the  brigade  drill  so  much  looked  for  and  so  much  dreaded. 
A  whole  field  full  of  Generals,  Colonels  and  staff  officers 
were  present  to  witness  the  performance.  General  Sigel 
and  Colonel  Moore  had  a  lot  of  Dutchmen  on  their  staffs 
who  could  hardly  talk  English,  and  who  knew  nothing 
about  communicating  orders  on  the  drill  ground.  Few  of 
the  Colonels  knew  anything  at  all  about  brigade  drill,  and 
some  of  them  very  little  even  about  battalion  drill.  One  of 
the  first  things  that  was  done  was  to  deploy  and  start  out 
the  34th  Massachusetts  as  skirmishers,  and  then  General 
Sigel  undertook  to  maneuver  the  infantry,  cavalry  and  ar 
tillery  as  on  a  field  of  battle  in  their  rear.  It  was  the  fun 
niest  farce  ever  witnessed  anywhere,  and  can  never  be  for 
gotten  as  long  as  anv  man  who  took  part  in  it  lives.  Our 
own  regiment,  for  instance,  was  ordered  through  something 
like  this:  The  right  wing  was  ordered  to  advance,  firing, 
to  a  fence  pointed  out,  and  there  to  lie  down  and  keep  on 
firing.  Then,  when  it  was  thought  our  right  wing  was  out 
about  long  enough  to  be  pretty  badly  cut  up,  the  left  was 
ordered  to  charge,  without  instructions  ho\v  far  to  go  in  its 
wild  career,  or  what  to  do  next.  Away  we  went,  "  hell 
bent,"  with  a  veil.  As  soon  as  we  reached  the  left  of  the 
other  wing  it  jumped  up  and  charged,  too,  the  whole  regi 
ment  yelling  like  fiends.  The  "recall"  was  sounded  by 
General  Sigel's  bugler,  but  of  course  we  didn't  hear  it,  and 
away  we  went  up  the  Valley,  clear  out  to  the  picket  line. 
Now  came  on  the  gallop  three  or  four  leather  breeches 
Dutch  staff  officers  after  us,  who  finally  overtook  us  and 
ordered  a  halt.  But  the  34th  Massachusetts  skirmishers! 
What  had  become  of  them?  Here  we  had  gone  to  the 
picket  line  and  had  not  come  up  with  them.  It  seemed 
they  had  been  forgotten  in  the  general  muss,  and  had  been 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  85 

allowed  to  advance  some  distance  beyond  the  picket  line 
before  they  were  thought  of  and  recalled.  It  was  after 
dark  before  the  34th  got  back  to  camp  that  night.  "Thus 
endeth  the  first  lesson,"  solemnly  remarked  our  Chaplain 
when  we  got  into  camp.  "Yes,  by  God!"  responded  Col 
onel  Washburn,  "and  a  h — 1  of  a  lesson  it  was,  too."  At 
which  the  Chaplain  retired  to  his  "pup  tent"  in  disgust. 
General  Lincoln  says  the  whole  thing  was  a  good  deal  like 
a  "town  meeting,"  no  doubt  having  in  mind  the  meetings 
held  bv  eastern  people,  which  are  noted  for  nothing  so 
much  as  for  their  want  of  order  and  decorum.  This  farce 
was  repeated,  with  not  quite  so  much  blundering,  the  next 
day,  and  then  the  regiments  were  given  over  to  their  com 
manders  for  battalion  drill. 

Talk  about  your  "corn  stalk  militia,"  and  "  general  train 
ings"  of  ye  olden  times!  There  was  never  anything  seen 
half  so  ridiculous,  and  it  bred  in  everyone  the  most  .supreme 
contempt  for  General  Sigel  and  his  crowd  of  foreign  adven 
turers.  Not  an  officer  or  a  man  retained  a  spark  of  respect 
for,  or  confidence  in,  him  or  any  of  the  leather  breeches 
retinue  of  staff  officers  with  which  he  had  surrounded  him 
self.  So  that  for  all  the  good  that  army  would  or  could  do 
under  him,  it  might  as  well,  and  better,  have  returned  at 
once  to  Martinsburg.  Companies  F  and  K  were  detailed 
to  guard  signal  posts  about  seven  miles  from  Winchester, 
on  the  6th,  and,  when  the  command  moved,  were  not  called 
in,  and  did  not  rejoin  the  regiment  until  the  second  day 
after  we  reached  Cedar  Creek.  It  was  more  good  luck 
than  good  generalship  that  they  were  not  all  captured. 
Lieutenant  Milton  A.  Ellis  was  detached  to  the  signal 
corps,  Lieutenant  John  F.  Welch  to  the  pioneer  corps,  and 
Lieutenant  Ransom  Griffin  to  the  ambulance  corps.  Each 
of  these  officers  continued  so  detached  durinir  the  remainder 

O 

of  their  term  of  service,  and  each  distinguished  himself  in 
his  respective  corps  and  frequently  received  high  praise  and 


86  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

honorable   mention   in   orders,  for   his  efficiency  and   good 
conduct. 

On  the  pth  we  moved  to  Strasburg,  lying  here  one  day. 
On  the  nth  we  moved  to  Woodstock,  where  we  camped  in 
a  clover  field  a  mile  from  water.  On  our  teams  coming  up, 
Sergeant  Walker  took  out  of  a  mess  pan  a  little  black  ob 
ject,  calling  put,  "  Here's  the  Lieutenant  Colonel's  bag 
gage."  It  proved  to  be  a  white  kitten,  which,  coming  into 
our  camp  at  Strasburg,  the  Lieutenant  Colonel  had  fed,  and 
which,  on  our  moving  from  there,  Walker  had  put  into  one 
of  the  wagons  among  the  sooty  mess  pans,  and  now  here 
was  kitty,  as  black  as  night  itself.  After  being  fed  and 
washed  white  again,  it  took  kitty  most  of  the  night  to  dry 
herself  and  be  ready  for  the  next  day's  experience.  A  citi 
zen  came  in  and  told  Colonel  Washburn  that  his  men  were 
killing  his  sheep.  "Have  you  taken  the  oath?"  asked  the 
Colonel.  u  No,  but  I'm  willin'  to,"  was  the  reply.  Upon 
taking  it,  a  guard  was  furnished  him,  but  when  he  got 
home  no  sheep  could  be  found\  Of  course  the  boys  all  ex 
pressed  "regrets."  Another  order,  allowing  only  one  Sut 
ler  to  a  brigade,  was  issued,  the  rest  being  ordered  to  the 
rear.  A  neat  rebel  trick  was  very  near  being  successful 
here.  A  note  had  been  written  and  handed  to  the  Division 
Wagon  Master,  purporting  to  come  from  the  Chief  Quar 
termaster,  and  to  be  in  his  hand  writing,  ordering  a  large 
train  to  the  rear,  with  which  were  also  to  go  the  returned 
Sutlers'  wagons.  The  train  had  started  and  was  well  out 
on  the  road  without  a  guard,  when  the  Quartermaster  dis 
covered  what  had  been  done.  He  dashed  off  as  fast  as  his 
horse  could  carry  him  to  bring  it  back,  which  he  did  in 
safety.  It  was  afterwards  ascertained  that  Moseby  and 
McNeil  were  in  waiting  for  the  train  a  few  miles  down  the 
road.  We  lay  at  Woodstock  until  the  i4th,  when  we 
moved  on  to  Mount  Jackson.  That  evening  some  of  our 
troops  met  Breckenridge  with  a  force  of  about  4,000  men 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  87 

near  New  Market,  and  drove  in  his  pickets,  and  defeated  a 
small  force  sent  out  to  reconnoiter  our  position.  The  next 
day  the  n6th  was  left  with  the  trains,  the  first  and  last 
time  during  the  jvar,  until  about  the  middle  of  the  after 
noon,  when  some  cavalry  relieved  us,  and  we  were  moved 
to  the  front  on  the  double  quick.  Sharp  righting  had  been 
going  on  at  the  front  since  noon,  which  occurred  in  the 
midst  of  heavy  thunder  storms.  The  12 3d  suffered  very 
severely  during  the  afternoon,  as  did,  also,  the  34th  Massa 
chusetts.  We  arrived  on  the  field  just  in  time  to  witness 
the  falling  back  of  our  little  army.  We  had  moved  to  the 
front  in  a  violent  rain  storm  on  the  double  quick,  or  run,  for 
a  distance  of  about  four  miles,  and  to  cover  the  retreat. 
The  28th  and  n6th  Ohio  regiments,  with  quite  a  large 
body  of  cavalry,  wTere  kept  in  the  rear,  guarding  the  im 
mense  trains,  which  were  allowed  to  stand,  in  the  main, 
stretched  out  on  the  road,  until  the  remainder  of  the  army 
was  entirely  defeated.  Then  our  regiment  wras  ordered  up 
at  the  rate  of  speed  spoken  of,  arriving  on  the  field  in  an 
exhausted  condition,  and  too  late  to  do  anything,  except  to 
cover  the  retreat  of  the  broken  up  and  defeated  regiments. 
The  army  fell  back  across  the  river  to  Mount  Jackson. 
The  enemy  followed  us  but  a  short  distance,  probably  be 
cause  of  General  Sigel's  fame  for  conducting  "  masterly  re 
treats."  When  across  the  river,  some  military  engineer 
undertook  to  blow  up  the  bridge,  by  exploding  kegs  of 
powder  on  the  top  of  it.  After  the  powder  was  all  ex 
ploded,  the  1 1 6th  tor«e  down  the  bridge  in  the  regular  way, 
with  axes  and  crowbars.  The  loss  of  our  little  army  was 
quite  heavy.  That  of  the  n6th  consisted  of  a  few  wound 
ed.  Very  few  of  us  wanted  to  fight  any  more  "mit  Sigel." 
His  army  was  beaten  in  detail.  A  small  force  was  first 
sent  into  the  fight,  which  was  allowed  to  be  first  beaten, 
when  another  small  force  would  be  sent  in,  to  be  in  turn 
beaten.  Had  he  gotten  his  army  well  in  hand  at  first,  and 


88  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

given  battle  with  it,  he  might  have  been  victorious,  though 
the  enemy  under  Breckenridge  outnumbered  us. 

General  Sigel  himself  reported  afterwards  that,  besides 
his  cavalry  and  artillery,  he  had  only  six  .regiments  on  the 
lield,  while  the  enemy  attacked  him  with  7,000  men.  And 
he  gave  as  an  excuse  for  this,  the  extreme  length  of  his 
trains  and  the  attenuation  of  his  line  of  march,  which  pre 
vented  him  from  confronting  the  enemy  with  his  whole 
force.  It  was  the  height  of  folly  to  keep  so  large  a  portion 
of  his  force  with  his  trains.  If  properly  parked,  instead  of 
being  allowed  to  stand  stretched  out  for  miles  on  the  road, 
a  very  small  force  would  have  been  sufficient  to  protect  it. 
When  we  were  ordered  to  the  front,  the  trains  occupied  the 
road,  and  we  were  obliged  to  take  to  the  fields  to  pass  them. 
As  it  was,  when  defeated,  his  trains  were  in  such  bad  shape 
that  a  portion  had  to  be  destroyed  to  prevent  its  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy.  The  defeat  was  a  very  bad  one. 
He  lost  700  men,  six  pieces  of  artillery,  about  1,000  small 
arms,  and  he  abandoned  his  hospitals  to  the  enemy.  The 
retreat,  for  some  miles,  was  in  great  disorder,  made  so  by 
some  bridges  breaking  down,  and  others  being  washed 
away  by  the  high  water,  for,  be  it  remembered,  we  had  a 
real  Virginia  freshet  from  the  furious  rains  of  the  day. 
We  retreated  to  Cedar  Creek,  but  the  enemy  did  not  pur 
sue  in  force.  Reaching  Cedar  Creek,  on  the  i7th,  we  at 
once  began  reorganization  and  refitting. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

HUNTER    RELIEVES    SIGEL HUNTER'S    ORDER    ON    ASSUMING 

COMMAND SHORT    OF    RATIONS    FOR    THE   FIRST  TIME  — 

BATTLE   OF  PIEDMONT BRAVERY   OF   THE   REGIMENT  — 

LIST  OF  CASUALTIES ONE  OR   TWO  AMUSING   INCIDENTS, 

AND  SOME   NOT  SO  AMUSING,  CONNECTED  WITH   THE   BAT 
TLE —  ON  TO  STAUNTON. 

General  Hunter  assumed  command  on  the  2ist.  He 
found  the  army  in  bad  shape.  A  thousand  men  were  with 
out  arms  and  two  thousand  were  without  shoes.  He  at 
once  began  the  work  of  fitting  out  the  army  and  getting  it 
in  shape  for  active  service:  All  stores  of  every  kind  were 
ordered  turned  over,  and  a  great  many  other  things  ordered 
done,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  order: 

HEADQUARTERS  DEFT.  WEST  VIRGINIA,  i 
In  the  Field,  Near  Cedar  Creek,         > 
May  22d,  1804.      ) 
(General  Order  No.  29.) 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  this  army  he  placed  in  a  situation  lor  immediate 
efficiency.  We  are,  contending  against  an  enemy  who  is  in  earnest,  and  if  we  expect 
.success  we  must  be  in  earnest.  We  must  be  willing  to  sufler  for  a  short  time,  that  a 
glorious  result  may  crown  our  efforts.  The  country  is  expecting  every  man  to  do  his 
duty,  and  this  done,  an  ever  kind  Providence  will  certainly  grant  us  a  complete  success. 

I.  Ever}-  tent  will  be  immediately  turned  in  for  transportation  to  Martinsburg,  and 
all  baggage  not  expressly  allowed  by  this  order  will  be  at  once  sent  to  the  rear.     There 
will    be  but  one  wagon  allowed  to  each  Regiment ;  this  will  only  be  used  to  transport 
spare  ammunition,  camp  kettles,  tools  and  mess  pans.     Every  wagon  will  have  eight 
picked  horses  or  mules,  two  drivers  and  two  saddles.     One  wagon  and  one  ambulance 
will  be  allowed  to   Department  Headquarters,  and  the  same  to  Division  and  Brigade 
Headquarters.     The  other  ambulances  will  be  under  the  immediate  order  of  the  Medical 
Director. 

II.  For  the  expedition  on  hand,  the  clothes  each  soldier  has  on  his  back,  with  one 
pair  ol  extra  shoes  and  socks,  are  amply  sufficient.     Everything  else  in  the  shape  of 


90  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

clothing  will  be  packed  to-day  and  sent  to  the  rear.  Each  knapsack  will  contain  one 
hundred  rounds  of  ammunition,  carefully  packed  ;  Jour  pounds  of  hard  bread  to  last  eight 
days;  ten  rations  of  coffee,  sugar  and  salt;  one  pair  of  shoes  and  socks,  and  nothing 
else. 

III.  Brigade  and  all  other  commanders  will  be  held  strictly  responsible  that  their 
commands  are  supplied  from  the  country.    Cattle,  sheep,  hogs,  and  if  necessary  horses 
and  mules  must  be  taken  and  slaughtered.    These  supplies  will  be  seized  under  the  di 
rection  of  officers  duly  authorized,  and  upon  a  system  which  will  be  hereafter  regulated. 
No  straggling  or  pillaging  will  be  allowed.     Brigade  and  other  commanders  will  be  held 
responsible  that  there  is  no  waste,  and  that  there  is  a  proper  and   orderly   division 
amongst  their  men  of  the  supplies  taken  for  our  use. 

IV.  Commanders  will  attend  personally  to  the  prompt  execution  of  this  order,  so 
that  we  may  move  to-morrow  morning.    They  will  see  that  in  passing  through  a  country 
in  this  way,  depending  upon  it  for  forage  and  supplies,  great  additional  vigilance  is 
required  on  the  part  of  every  officer  in  the  command  of  men  for  the  enforcement  of 
discipline. 

IV.  The  commanding  General  expects  from  every  officer  and  soldier  of  the  army 
in  the  field  an  earnest  and  unhesitating  support,  and  relies  with  confidence  upon  an 
ever  kind  Providence  for  the  result.  The  Lieutenant  General  commanding  the  Armies 
of  the  United  States,  who  is  now  victoriously  pressing  back  the  enemy  upon  their  last 
stronshold,  expects  much  from  tne  army  of  the  Shenandoah,  and  he  must  not  be  dis 
appointed. 

VI.  In  conclusion,  the  Major  General  commanding,  while  holding  every  officer  to 
the  strictest  responsibility  of  his  position,  and  prepared  to  enforce  discipline  with 
severity  when  necessary,  will  never  cease  to  urge  the  prompt  promotion  of  all  officers, 
non-commissioned  officers  and  enlisted  men  who  earn  recognition  by  their  gallantry 
and  good  conduct. 

By  order  of  MAJOR  GENERAL  HUNTER. 

CHAS.  G.  HALPINE,  Assistant  Adjutant  General. 


This  order  looked  like  "business."  General  Sigel  had 
ordered  all  knapsacks  sent  to  Martinsburg  before  starting 
from  Winchester,  and  now  Captain  Keyes  was  sent  to 
bring  them  up,  for,  among  other  things,  we  were  to  carry 
100  rounds  of  ammunition  in  our  knapsacks.  What  had 
not  been  taken  by  other  regiments  before  he  got  to  Mar 
tinsburg  were  lost  or  cut  open  and  destroyed,  so  we  had  to 
draw  a  new  supply.  Quarternraster  Sergeant  Walker, 
however,  hunted  up  about'  200  in  other  regiments.  The 
Adjutant  reporting  fifty  pairs  of  shoes  wanted,  the  Quarter 
master  reported  175  pairs  wanted,  and  so  it  proved  before 
we  were  shod.  One  day  while  on  the  march  after\vards, 
some  officer  riding  by  asked,  "What  troops  are  these?" 
Jim  Hall,  of  Company  A,  quickly  replied,  "Troops!  This 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  9! 

is  Hunter's  ammunition  train."  He  asked  no  more  ques 
tions,  but  rode  off  laughing.  The  i6oth  Ohio  was  now 
added  to  our  brigade. 

We  started  up  the  Valley  on  the  26th  of  May.  The 
i6oth  Ohio  protested  so  much  against  going  to  the  front 
that  it  was  sent  back,  on  the  3Oth,  from  Rude's  Hill.  On 
the  ist  of  June  flour  was  issued  to  us  for  the  first  time, 
much  to  our  disgust.  We  reached  Harrisonburg  on  the  3d 
of  June  and  left  on  the  following  day,  moving  by  way  of 
Port  Republic.  The  army  crossed  the  river  at  Port  Re 
public  and  camped  for  the  night.  Our  rear  was  considera 
bly  annoyed  by  guerrillas,  during  the  last  t\vo  or  three  days, 
and  our  communications  partially  destroyed.  From  a  letter 
written  from  Staunton,  June  8th,  by  Sergeant  Walker,  I 
quote  a  very  clear,  detailed  account  of  our  movements  up 
to  this  point: 

"We  left  Cedar  Creek  May  26th,  after  having  sent  back 
all  our  tents  and  everything  else  that  could  not  be  carried 
on  our  backs.  Passing  through  Strasburg,  General  Hunter 
ordered  the  men  to  burn  several  buildings  from  which  sev 
eral  of  our  men  had  been  bushwhacked.  The  folks  were 
allowed  to  take  nothing  from  the  houses.  Hunter  says 
'this  bushwhacking  has  got  to  be  stopped,'  and  you  may 
depend  upon  it  he  will  stop  it.  Many  of  our  men  were 
obliged  to  march  without  shoes,  and  it  was  really  a  pitiful 
sight  to  see  them  marching  along,  leaving  marks  of  blood 
on  the  ground.  We  were  put  on  half  rations  of  bread  from 
the  very  start,  and  for  several  days  had  been  without  any. 
May  29,  marched  from  Woodstock  to  Mt.  Jackson,  where 
we  encamped  on  the  same  ground  on  which  \ve  fought  two 
weeks  ago.  Passing  through  Edinburg  we  found  a  great 
quantity  of  salt,  which  we  took.  Just  before  leaving  the 
town,  one  of  the  men  went  into  a  garden  to  get  some 
onions,  and  a  woman  came  out  and  drove  him  out  with. 


p2  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

rocks.  Good!  May  3ist,  went  out  with  Captain  Kellogg, 
of  the  1 2  3d  Ohio,  foraging,  brought  in  a  great  quantity  of 
flour,  wheat  and  salt.  This  salt  is  some  that  has  been  sent 
to  the  counties  by  the  Government,  to  be  sold  to  the  citi 
zens  at  ten  cents  per  pound,  or  about  $30  a  barrel.  An 
order  came  to-day  from  General  Hunter  forbidding  us  to 
burn  anything  but  rails;  strange  order.  June  3d,  marched 
from  Mt.  Jackson  to  Harrisonburg.  The  latter  is  the  coun 
ty  seat  of  Rockingham  County,  and  is  a  very  pretty  place. 
The  court  house  is  a  very  pretty,  (rather  old)  brick  build 
ing,  situated  about  the  center  of  the  town,  with  a  fine  yard 
around  it.  Just  outside  the  yard  is  a  large  spring  about 
twelve  feet  in  diameter,  round  and  walled  up  several  feet, 
with  marble  steps  going  down  to.  the  water.  The  whole  is 
covered  with  a  circular  roof  supported  on  pillars,  which 
makes  it  look  very  nice.  The  streets  immediately  around 
the  court  house  are  of  respectable  width,  but  as  a  general 
rule  they  are  very  narrow.  In  fact,  I  have  noticed  that,  in 
all  the  Virginia  towns  we  have  passed  through,  the  streets 
are  narrow.  There  are  a  great  many  fine  residences  in  and 
near  the  town.  Our  foraging  parties  searched  the  houses 
and  stores  for  flour,  meat,  etc.,  taking  all  they  found. 
They  also  found  some  muslin*  valued  by  the  rebs  at  $2,000, 
a  bale  of  batting,  valued  at  $245.  We  also  destroyed  three 
printing  offices.  June  4th,  we  expected  to  go  directly  up 
the  Valley  towards  Staunton,  but  turned  off  the  pike  to  the 
left  soon  after  leaving  the  town,  and  passed  the  old  Cross 
Key's  battle  ground,  and  so  on  to  Port  Republic.  It  was 
here  —  Port  R.  —  that  Fremont  came  so  near  capturing 
Jackson  two  years  ago.  You  may  remember  he  sent  Colo 
nel  Carlan  to  destroy  a  bridge  at  this  place,  but  Colonel  C. 
concluded  to  try  to  hold  the  bridge,  a.nd  Jackson  drove  him 
from  it,  and  made  his  escape,  and  whipped  Carlan.  As 
soon  as  he  crossed  his  army  Jackson  burned  the  bridge  and 
so  prevented  Fremont  from  following  him." 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  93 

A  large  portion  of  our  men  were  now  out  of  rations, 
except  coffee,  sugar  and  salt.  After  crossing  the  river  at 
Port  Republic,  and  passing  through  the  village,  we  went 
into  camp  in  a  piece  of  woods  on  the  right  of  the  road,  and 
after  making  coffee,  lay  down  for  the  night.  We  were 
called  out  early  the  following  morning,  June  5th,  and  took 
the  road  without  having  made  even  a  cup  of  coffee  for 
breakfast,  but  with  a  promise  that  we  should  get  something 
to  eat  very  soon.  We  had  marched  but  a  short  distance  in 
the  direction  of  Staunton,  when  we  met  considerable  num 
bers  of  the  enemy.  Before  advancing  very  far  we  formed 
line  of  battle,  and  advanced  behind  skirmishers,  driving  the 
enemy  before  us,  until  we  reached  Piedmont,  where  we 
found  the  enemy  in  force,  well  protected  behind  rail  and  log 
breastworks.  The  n6th  was  on  the  extreme  left  in  this 
advance,  and  had  several  opportunities,  of  which  it  availed 
itself,  of  enfilading  the  rebels  as  they  fell  back.  We  reached 
their  lines  about  10  A.  M.  Without  waiting  for  Thoburn, 
who  was,  as  we  understood,  coming  upon  their  flank, 
Moore's  and  Wynkoop's  brigades  charged  and  drove  the 
enemy  behind  his^  works.  Our  men  advanced  on  a  charge 
nearly  up  to  the  works,  but  were  there  repulsed  with  se 
vere  loss.  Re-forming  our  lines,  in  a  few  minutes  we  made 
a  second  charge,  meeting  with  a  second  repulse  and  with 
even  greater  loss  than  before.  Falling  back  to  a  slight 
cover  of  a  rise  of  ground,  we  halted  and  lay  down  to  await 
Thoburn's  coming,  as  we  ought  to  have  done  in  the  first 
place.  We  were  still  within  short  rifle  range  of  the  ene 
my's  works,  and  a  sharp  fire  of  musketry  and  artillery  was 
kept  up  on  both  sides  constantly  for  over  two  hours.  Col 
onel  Washburn's  horse  was  shot  under  him  in  the  first 
charge.  A  battery  of  1 2-pound  pieces  came  on  to  the  in 
fantry  line  on  the  right,  shortly  after  we  fell  back  from  the 
second  charge,  which  did  terrible  execution,  with  solid  shot 
thrown  into  the  enemy's  rail  breastworks,  The  enemy  had 


£4  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

once  or  twice  tried  to  turn  our  right.  The  demoralization 
which  every  shot  created  in  their  ranks  could  be  plainly 
seen,  crowds  of  the  enemy  fleeing  from  the  spot  where  a 
shot  struck  the  rails,  when  our  infantry  would  open  fire 
upon  them  the  moment  they  showed  themselves,  the  guns 
of  the  battery  also  saluting  them  at  the  same  time  with 
grape  and  cannister.  About  3  p.  M.  Colonel  Thoburn  ap 
peared  on  their  right  flank,  having  moved  across  a  ravine 
by  a  long  and  tedious  detour.  As  soon  as  he  was  seen 
charging  on  their  flank,  Moore  and  Wynkoop  rose,  and 
with  a  yell  charged  across  the  ground  we  had  charged 
twice  before,  and  which  was  covered  with  our  dead  and 
wounded.  This  time  we  scaled  their  works,  capturing 
1,500  prisoners  and  completely  routing  the  rest.  We  cap 
tured,  besides,  three  pieces  of  artillery,  about  3,000  stand  of 
small  arms  and  a  number  of  wagons  and  ambulances. 
General  Jones,  the  rebel  commander,  was  killed.  We  saw 
his  body  in  the  woods  a  short  distance  behind  the  works, 
with  a  bullet  hole  through  his  forehead.  This  was  the 
most  desperate  and  stubbornly  contested  battle  we  were 
ever  engaged  in,  and  tried  the  mettle  of  our  regiment  most 
thoroughly.  The  n6th  lost  181  men  killed  and  wounded, 
forty-one  being  killed  and  thirteen  afterwards  dying  of  their 
wounds.  Every  color  bearer  and  every  one  of  the  color 
guard  were  wounded,  some  of  them  very  seriously.  Our 
loss  was  as  follows: 

KILLED. 


COMPANY  A — Nathaniel  D.  Haydeti,  Addey  Brock,  Jacob  Zimmerly,  Elijah  Bennett, 
Newton  Meeks. — 5. 

COMPANY  C— Fred.  F.  Neptune,  John  Latchaw,  George  W.  Gannon,  Henry  Pfeifer, 
Isaac  Barrett,  Robert  E.  Chambers,  James  B.  Mobberly,  Corporal  Adam  Rodecker— 8. 

COMPANY  B — Sylvester  C.  Shumway. — 1. 

COMPANY  D— Corporal  Robert  Armstrong,  John  Detwiler,  Robert  H.  H.  Dyer,  Elias 
B.  Brock,  Joseph  Seimons,  Samuel  Alford,  Henry  B.  Hixenbaugh,  Richard  Mahoney, 
Washington  Bryan,  Scott  Dixon.— 10. 

COMPANY  E— Moses  McCulloch,  Francis  Swartz.— 2, 


ONE  HUNDRED  AND  SIXTEENTH  o.  v.  i.  95 

COMPANY  F— Corporal  William  King,  Morris  Krouse,  Garrison  Miracle,  George  W. 
Johnson,  James  JF.  Hughes,  Richard  Philps,  Joshua  Mercer,  William  Sutton.— 8. 

COMPANY  H— Stephen  C.  McCoy,  James  Harrison,  Solomon  Rich.— 3. 
COMPANY  I— Corporal  Richard  B.  Miller,  Frederick  Warren.— 2. 
COMPANY  K — Edward  Henshaw,  Nelson  B.  Clements. — 2. 
Total  killed— 41. 

WOUNDED. 


COMPANY  A— Sergeant  Mann  Smith,  knee  ;  Corporal  Fred.  R.  Rose,  shoulder;  Cor 
poral  William  Brock,  Jacob  C.  Keyler,  hips;  James  Kimpton,  shoulder;  David  Barcus, 
wrist;  Sergeant  Daniel  C.  Hunt,  arm  ;  Cyrus  Spriggs,  arm  ;  Samuel  Tidd,  side;  Robert 
McCammon,  hand ;  Corporal  Benjamin  F.  Dye,  hip ;  Robert  Smith,  arm  ;  John  Smythe, 
arm;  John  A.  Harmon,  leg;  Albert  Gates,  leg;  James  C.  Hall,  leg. — 10. 

COMPANY  B — Marion  Coleman,  shoulder;  George  W.  Keyes,  shoulder;  John  Baker, 
side;  John  Anderson,  face;  Sergeant  Uriah  Hoyt,  leg;  Sergeant  Wm  H,  Bush,  leg; 
Wells  Grubb,  arm ;  Davis  Watson,  arm  ;  John  Doland,  leg — 9. 

COMPANY  C— Sergeant  Mathew  W.  Maris,  leg;  Sergeant  John  S.  Heald,  breast; 
Sergeant  John  L.  Beach,  hip;  Color  Sergeant  David  K.  Barrett,  arm;  George  Kistner, 
arm  amputated  ;  Thomas  South,  arm  amputated  ;  Wm.  Metz,  head  ;  Elwood  Chambers, 
foot;  John  Buchwald,  shoulder  and  neck;  Corporal  John  G.  Barrett,  leg,  (died  Aug.  1(J, 
1864,);  John  J.  Montgomery,  arrn ;  James  A.  Preshaw,  left  shoulder,  (died  Nov.  3,  1864, 
at  Frederick,  Md.) ;  Edward  Yockey,  leg;  Philip  Schoupe,  leg;  Albert  Vicker.",  head; 
Franklin  Barnes,  leg;  Miles  H.  Davis,  (died  Oct.  12,  1864,  at  Frederick,  Md.);  Riley 
Thornburg.  hip ;  Emmon  H.  Beardmore,  wrist. — 19. 

COMPANY  D— Lieutenant  Richard  T.  Chaney,  foot;  Sergeant  James  K.  Drum,  head; 
William  T.  Flowers,  head,  (died  at  Andersonville,  Nov.  5,  1864  );  Charles  W.  Blowers, 
through  breast:  Josiah  Norns,  arm;  James  C.  Headly,  hip  and  ankle,  (died  at  Lynch- 
burg,  July  2,  1864,);  Henry  B.  Hixenbaugh,  bowels;  James  A.  Sinclair,  arm;  John  H. 
Windland,  arm;  John  W.  Hall,  arm;  Jacob  Hall,  side;  Eldridge  Moffitt,  hand ;  Daniel 
Bennett,  shoulder;  Henry  Mowder,  hip;  Hugh  Thompson,  leg  ;  Samuel  Forsyth,  hand  ; 
Jesse  M.  Stine,  head;  Joshua  Nixon,  shoulder;  Peter  Hickman,  head;  Alfred  Gray, 
hip;  Peter  Schultz,  leg;  Thomas  Rowley,  arm  ;  David  Conger.— 23. 

COMPANY  E— Corporal  Jas.  Skiles,  groin;  Ephraim  Henthorn,  leg  amputated;  Mad 
ison  G.  Miller,  (died  at  Staunton,  Va.,  Sept.  12,  1864,) ;  Harrison  Cochran,  foot ;  Charles 
Palmer,  leg;  William  Fisher,  shoulder ;  Corporal  Lewis  Barcus,  leg;  Joseph  A.  Hall, 
arm  ;  Corporal  John  J.  Atkinson,  arm,— 9. 

COMPANY  F— Sergeant  Stephen  A.  Brown,  arm ;  Corporal  Robert  Martin,  arm ; 
William  Sutton,  leg  amputated;  James  Carson,  hip;  Elijah  Bunting,  side;  Samuel 
Stephens,  leg;  Jacob  Dillon,  thigh;  Joseph  Rake,  leg;  Wesley  McGee,  side;  Thomas 
Patterson,  foot ;  Emanuel  Okey,  shoulder ;  James  Piggott,  head ;  Lempenious  Efaw, 
thigh.— 13. 

COMPANY  G— Alexander  McFarland,  hip;  John  Ravvlings,  leg.— 2. 

COMPANY  H— Captain  W.  B.  Teters,  leg;  Sergeant  Joseph  Purkey,  leg;  Sergeant 
Benjamin  C.  Drake,  leg;  Color  Sergeant  Reese  Williams,  side;  Sergeant  William  A. 
Arnold,  knee  ;  Corporal  Benjamin  B.  Tilton,  ankle ;  Corporal  Jacob  Gregg,  thigh  ;  Cor 
poral  Joseph  C.  Wilson,  leg.  Privates,  Nathaniel  Butler,  arm;  David  Bock,  hip ; 
Dighton  M.  Bates,  mouth;  William  T.  Cain,  foot;  John  A.  Groves,  abdomen;  John 
Wesley  James,  shoulder;  John  W.  Kockley,  foot;  John  J.  Keyser,  thigh;  Eli  T. 
Kirkbride,  ankle ;  John  Larrick,  bowels,  (died  Sept.  12,  1864,  at  Savannah,  Ga.) ;  John 


9  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

W.    Mott.   hand;    William   McBnde,   thigh  and    leg;    Andrew    Powell,   wrist;    Simon 
Sechrist,  side;  Thomas  Spear,  arm;  Reason  Baker,  hand;  Jas.  Dudley.— 25. 

COMPANY  I — Sergeant  John  C.  Chick,  hip;  Joseph  Morrison,  both  legs;  Jesse  Annon, 
arm  ;  Bradley  P.  Barrows,  arm  ;  Luther  Cayton,  head  ;  Samuel  P.  Fleak,  side ;  Ephriarn 
W.  Frost,  shoulder  and  breast,  (died  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  Jan.  13,  1865,  of  scurvy  con 
tracted  at  Andersonville)  ;  Consider  Frost,  both  legs,  (died  at  Staunton,  Va.,  June  2C, 
1864,);  Corporal  Edwin  G.  Fuller,  through  hips;  James  H.  Gilchrist,  leg;  Jonathan 
C.  S.  Gilbert,  lace,  (died  Oct.  9th,  1864,  at  Savannah,  Ga.) ;  Nathan  Hatch,  face  and 
shoulder;  Mark  W.  McAffee,  arm;  Samuel  McCulloch,  knee;  Elijah  Patton,  arm;  Cor- 
porporal  Fayette  Paugh,  leg;  Rulus  B.  Stanley,  leg;  George  W.  Tasker,  groin.— 18. 

COMPANY  K — Lieutenant  Gottlieb  Sheifley,  side;  Samuel  Spencer,  thigh;  John 
Kulow,  leg;  Thomas  Witham,  arm;  George  Lyon,  head;  Andrew  C.  Cagg,  hand,  (died 
at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  Jan.  27,  1865.)— fi. 

Total  wounded.— 140. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  those  who  died  of  wounds: 

James  C.  Headley,  James  A.  Preshaw,  Miles  H.  Davis,  William  T.  Flowers,  Madison 
G.  Miller,  Emanuel  Okey,  Corporal  Robert  Martin,  John  Larrick,  Consider  Frost,  Jon 
athan  C.  S.  Gilbert,  Andrew  C.  Cagg,  Corporal  John  G.  Barrett,  Ephraim  W.  Frost.— 13. 

Sergeant  Reese  Williams,  one  of  the  color  bearers,  was 
promoted  to  a  lieutenancy  for  his  gallantry.  Although  shot 
through  the  body,  the  brave  fellow  would  not  yield  up  his 
colors,  and  clung  to  them  until  he  fainted  from  loss  of  blood. 
Being  then  carried  back  to  the  surgeon's,  his  wound  was 
dressed.  Soon  recovering  consciousness,  he  rose  up  from 
where  he  had  been  laid  to  die  and  returned  to  the  line,  took 
his  colors  again  and  waved  them  over  his  head  as  cheer 
fully  and  coolly  as  though  nothing  had  happened  him,  and 
there  he  held  them  till  the  final  charge  was  made.  He  at 
tempted  to  advance  with  the  line,  but  was  too  weak  to  do 
so,  and  as  he  gave  up  the  colors  to  another,  he  kissed  them, 
and  swung  his  cap  and  feebly  cheered  as  he  saw  them  car 
ried  over  the  rebel  works.  For  a  time  after  Sergeant 
Williams  was  carried  from  the  field,  Sergeant  Barrett  bore 
bravely  both  standards  with  one  arm,  while  the  other  hung 
helpless  at  his  side.  Captain  Mann,  on  seeing  his  condi 
tion,  went  forward  and  took  one  of  the  standards  from  him, 
and  afterward,  when  the  last  charge  \vas  ordered,  the  Cap 
tain  carried  the  standard  which  Sergeant  Williams  was  un- 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  9^ 

able  to  go  forward  with.  Captain  Mann  was  always  a 
hero  in  battle,  and  he  was  especially  so  in  this.  His  com 
pany,  C,  went  into  the  action  with  fifty-two  men.  It  came 
out  with  just  twenty  unhurt,  having  lost  thirty-two  of  its 
number  in  killed  and  wounded.  Captain  Teters'  company, 
H,  lost  twenty-eight  killed  and  wounded,  more  than  half 
the  number  engaged.  Company  D  lost  ten  killed  and 
twenty-two  wounded.  The  company  was  that  day  in  com 
mand  of  Lieutenant  Chaney,  who,  though  wounded  in  the 
foot,  remained  in  command  of  his  company  throughout  the 
engagement.  His  company  lost  over  half  of  the  men  it 
went  into  action  with.  He  proved  himself  on  that  day  to 
be  a  brave  and  gallant  officer,  and  well  worthy  to  command 
the  noble  men  of  company  D.  He  was  splendidly  sup 
ported  by  his  brave  Orderly  Sergeant,  Adam  J.  Myers, 
who  was  next  in  command.  Company  F  also  met  with 
the  severe  loss  of  eight  killed  and  thirteen  wounded.  Cap 
tain  Brown  showred  the  "white  feather,"  but  Lieutenant 
Martin  proved  brave,  as  usual,  and  all  thrpugh  he  and  his 
gallant  men  behaved  splendidly.  "Squad  I"  lost  very 
heavily  in  proportion  to  its  numbers.  Two  killed  and  thir 
teen  wounded  was  a  great  sacrifice  for  it.  Lieut.  Mosley, 
as  brave  a  man  as  we  had  among  us,  was  in  command  of 
the  "squad."  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  right  and  center 
of  the  regiment  suffered  more  than  the  ,  left.  This  was 
mainly  due  to  their  exposed  position.  Another  gallant 
officer  wounded  was  Captain  Teters,  of  company  H,  who 
was  struck  in  the  leg  by  a  shell,  and  very  badly  hurt.  A 
letter  written  by  me  from  Staunton,  June  8th,  thus  speaks 
of  this  shell:  "Just  before  the  last  charge  a  shell  struck 
the  ground1  within  two  feet  of  me,  plowed  the  ground  up 
under  me,  throwing  me  headlong,  and  ricochetting  out 
again,  passed  on  and  hit  Captain  Teters  in  the  leg,  wound 
ing  him  quite  badly.  It  didn't  explode  till  it  had  passed  us 
ten  feet  or  more.  Had  it  exploded  where1  it  first  struck  the 

7 


9»  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 

ground,  the  loss  of  life  could  not  have  failed  to  be  great. 
It  was  a  fortunate  escape  for  us,  especially  for  Captain 
Teters  and  myself.  I  am  pretty  sore  yet  and  feel  a  sort  of 
"  shook  up."  I  had  only  one  foot  on  the  ground,  being  in 
the  act  of  rising  from  lying  down,  and  the  shell  passed  close 
under  me.  My  right  foot  is  pretty  sore  and  my  abdomen 
also,  but  otherwise  I  am  all  right,  except  a  bruise  from  a 
spent  ball  on  the  right  knee.  It  was  a  stirring  time  for  us. 
I  will  write  you  more  fully  soon  of  the  splendid  conduct  of 
the  regiment.  This  has  really  been  the  first  battle  that 
thoroughly  tested  the  mettle  of  our  officers  and  men.  You 
will  be  proud  to  know  that  they  stood  the  terrible  test 
magnificently,"  I  never  saw  greater  bravery  than  was 
that  day  displayed  by  the  color  bearers  and  color  guard  of 
the  n6th  regiment.  But  to  see  them  all  wounded,  some 
we  feared  mortally,  at  the  close  of  the  battle,  brought  tears 
to  the  eyes  of  every  one  who  had  witnessed  their  splendid 
behavior.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  heroism  of  the  wrhole 
regiment  in  this  engagement. 

The  battle  is  scarcely  more  than  mentioned  in  any  of 
the  histories  of  the  war,  and  yet  the  regiments  engaged  suf 
fered  as  terribly  and  fought  as  bravely  as  any  equal  body 
of  troops  in  any  battle  of  the  war.  There  were  about 
8,000  men  of  all  arms  engaged  on  our  side,  and  6,000  on 
the  other,  well  fortified.  Each  side  was  commanded  by 
brave  and*  skillful  officers,  and  each  side  had  a  great  deal  at 
stake.  If  defeated,  there  would  be  nothing  left  for  us  but 
retreat,  and  retreat  over  so  long  a  distance  in  the  face  of  a 
victorious  foe,  could  not  be  otherwise  than  very  disastrous. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  the  rebels  were  defeated,  the  road  to 
Lynchburg  was  open  and  clear  to  us. 

The  loss  of  our  army  was  about  420  killed  and  wound 
ed.  Among  the  officers  killed  was  Major  Schachi,  of  the 
28th  Ohio.  That  gallant  regiment  lost  thirty-three  killed 
and  105  wounded,  out  of  484  combatants.  During  its  three 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  99 

years  term  of  service  the  regiment  lost  ninety-two  killed 
and  1 80  wounded.  Its  loss  at  Piedmont  was,  therefore, 
more  than  one-third  its  whole  number  killed  and  nearly 
two-thirds  its  whole  number  wounded.  This  shows  very 
clearly  the  severity  of  the  engagement.  General  Jones,  the 
rebel  commander  killed,  was  in  command  of  the  force  that 
surrounded  us  at  Moorefield,  January  3d,  1863.  His  body 
was  found  directly  in  front  of  the  position  of  the  n6th.  We 
saw  several  men  among  the  prisoners  who  were  in  the 
Moorefield  fight.  Many  of  his  officers  who  were  among 
the  prisoners  gathered  about  where  he  lay  and  wept  over 
his  remains.  Our  officers  stood  by  in  respectful  and  silent 
sympathy  with  their  grief,  for  all  recognized  in  him  a  brave 
and  gallant  officer,  and  felt  for  him  the  respect  always  en 
tertained  by  one  brave  man  for  another,  though  he  be  an 
enemy.  Until  darkness  cut  off  search  and  pursuit,  both 
cavalry  and  infantry  were  busily  engaged  in  bringing  in 
prisoners  from  their  hiding  places.  General  Vaughan,  next 
in  command  to  Jones,  fled  to  Waynesboro,  whence  he  tele 
graphed  Bragg  next  day :  "  Went  into  the  fight  yesterday 
with  5,600.  I  have  not  over  3,000  effectives,  officers  and 
men,  including  Imboden's  cavalry."  Secretary  Staunton 
sent  thanks  to  Hunter  for  this  victory.  The  next  day  at 
Staunton  and  New  Hope,  Hunter  captured  400  sick  and 
wounded  rebels. 

One  very  ludicrous  incident  occurred  while  gathering  in 
the  prisoners.  A  very  small  Irishman  by  the  name  of 
Mike  Manning,  a  member  of  company  I,  found  hid  under 
the  bank  of  the  river  close  by,  a  very  large  and  powerful 
Irishman,  whom  he  brought  up  as  a  prisoner  of  war,  with 
an  air  of  triumph  that  was  truly  grand.  Mike  marched  his 
prisoner  ahead  of  him  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  abusing 
him  most  shamefully  for  being  "a  damned  rebel  and  an 
Irishman,  too."  The  idea  of  being  an  Irishman  and  a  rebel 
was  something  that  Mike  could  not  reconcile.  The  two 


IOO  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

would  stop  every  few  steps  and  argue  some  point  involving 
the  Union  and  secession.  This  was  done  in  true  Irish  style, 
with  good  strong  brogue  and  both  generally  talking  at  once 
and  as  loud  as  they  could.  Once  or  twice  the  rebel  Irish 
man,  getting  out  of  patience  with  his  captor's  tongue, 
reached  out  to  catch  him,  when  Mike  would  "leap  to  the 
rear,"  a  la  zouave,  bring  his  bayonet  down  to  a  charge  and 
order  his  captive  to  move  on.  They  soon  attracted  a  crowd 
of  amused  spectators,  who  managed  to  let  the  reb  get  hold 
of  Mike  and  give  him  a  shaking  up,  and  before  they  got 
him  loose  from  Mike  he  had  given  him  good  pay  for  his 
abuse,  but  without  hurting  him  any.  They  were  both  pos 
sessed  of  the  keenest  kind  of  Irish  wit,  and  many  a  poor 
wounded  soldier  forgot  his  pain  in  laughing  at  the  comical 
scene. 

Another  amusing  incident  occurred  in  the  midst  of  the 
fight,  which  we  must  relate,  even  at  the  risk  of  stirring  up 
the  memory  of  Lieutenant  Joseph  Purkey.  He  was  then 
Orderly  Sergeant  of  company  H.  While  we  were  lying 
down,  waiting  the  coming  of  Thoburn,  he  was  severely 
wounded  in  the  leg.  He  jumped  up  the  instant  he  was  hit, 
and  supporting  himself  on  his  gun,  doubled  up  his  .fist  and 
shaking  it  at  the  rebels,  exclaimed,  "Now,  d  —  n  you,  I 
suppose  you  think  you've  done  it." 

The  dead  were  buried,  the  wounded  moved  to  Staun- 
ton,  except  the  very  severely  wounded.  With  such  of  our 
regiment  as  could  not  be  moved  we  left  Dr.  T.  C.  Smith, 
and  the  next  day  marched  to  Staunton. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

DESTRUCTION    OF    PROPERTY   AT  STAUNTON ON  THE  MOVE, 

STILL  GOING  SOUTH RETURN  TO  STAUNTON    TO  MEET  A 

SUPPLY     TRAIN HARD     MARCHING     TO     OVERTAKE    THE 

ARMY TO  LEXINGTON  — DESTRUCTION  QF  REBEL  PROP 
ERTY  AND  WASHINGTON  COLLEGE AND  ON  WE  GO  — 

REGULAR  ARMY  ENGINEERING  SUPERSEDED  BY  WESTERN 
IDEAS LYNCHBURG BATTLE  OF  LYNCHBURG A  GAL 
LANT  CHARGE REPORTS— RETREAT  TO  GAULEY  BRIDGE 

—  AT  PARKERSBURG AT  MARTINSBURG  AGAIN. 

The  next  day  after  our  arrival  at  Staunton,  we  were  en 
gaged  in  destroying  rebel  stores  and  property  of  different 
kinds,  including  railroad  depots  and  tracks.  The  following 
day  our  regiment  was  sent  out  to  tear  up  the  railroad  track 
west  of  Staunton.  We  did  the  work  effectually.  Tobacco 
warehouses  seemed  to  abound  in  and  around  Staunton,  and 
the  men  will  certify  that  they  were  filled  with  a  most  excel 
lent  quality.  What  the  troops  did  not  appropriate  was 
either  destroyed  or  sent  to  the  rear  in  the  train  that  went 
back  from  Staunton.  Large  quantities  of  war  material 
were  also  destroyed,  the  rebel  agent  in  charge  of  them  esti 
mating  their  value  at  $400,000.  On  the  7th,  our  regiment 
started  for  Buffalo  Gap,  in  which  the  rebels  were  holding 
General  Averill.  After  marching  out  about  five  miles,  we 
met  his  cavalry  coming  in,  the  rebels  having  left  the  Gap 
on  hearing  of  the  approach  of  infantry  in  their,  rear.  We 
then  turned  back  to  Staunton.  Quartermaster  Williams 


IO2  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

was  now  returned  to  the  regiment.  Quartermaster  Ser 
geant  Walker,  though  quite  unwell  much  of  the  time,  had 
performed  the  duties  of  Quartermaster  to  the  satisfaction  of 
everybody  in  Quartermaster  Williams'  absence.  We  ought 
to  mention  that  all  the  wounded  who  could  be  safely  moved 
so  far  were  sent  out  with  the  train  returning  from  here,  also 
the  prisoners  captured  at  Piedmont.  The  term  of  service 
of  the  28th  Ohio  being  nearly  expired,  that  regiment  was 
given  charge  of  the  train.  The  34th  Mass.,  Colonel  Wells 
commanding,  supplied  the  place  of  the  28th  in  our  brigade, 
and  Colonel  Wells  became  our  brigade  commander. 

On  the  8th  General  Crook,  with  his  army  from  the 
Kanawha  Valley,  joined  us,  making  now  an  army  of  about 
18,000  strong.  The  morning  of  June  loth,  the  whole  army 
left  Staunton  and  reached  Lexington  the  I2th.  We  left 
about  300  sick  and  wounded  at  Staunton,  and  with  them 
some  surgeons  and  about  forty  men,  all  of  whom  the  rebel 
Colonel  E.  G.  Lee  paroled  on  the  i2th.  The  n6th  was 
the  last  regiment  to  leave  Staunton,  which  subsequently 
proved  a  little  unfortunate  for  it.  After  marching  seven 
miles  out,  the  regiment  was  sent  back  in  haste  to  meet  and 
guard  a  supply  train,  which  reached  Staunton  that  morning 
after  our  departure.  We  met  the  train  just  coming  out  of 
town  in  charge  of  the  i6ist  Ohio  regiment.  It  consisted  of 
over  200  wagons,  and  how  it  ever  got  safely  to  Staunton 
can  only  be  explained  by  the  fact  that  all  the  rebels  in  the 
Valley  had  been  concentrated  in  front  of  Hunter  at  Pied 
mont.  We  at  once  turned  back,  and  for  the  third  time  that 
day,  traveled  over  the  same  piece  of  road.  At  dark  we 
stopped  for  supper.  Finding  there  was  hard  tack,  coffee 
and  sugar  in  the  train,  after  considerable  red  tape  had  been 
.run  off  we  drew  some  of  it,  and  for  the  first  time  in  a  week, 
had  a  good  square  meal.  As  we  were  eating  supper,  wre 
were  told  the  train  had  brought  up  a  mail,  and  after  supper 
found  this  to  be  so,  for  here  came  the  "Post  Master"  with 


ONK    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  103 

a  load  of  letters  and  papers  from  home.  How  eagerly  their 
contents  were  devoured.  They  were  as  great  a  luxury  as 
the  supper  we  had  just  eaten.  After  reading  our  letters 
and  resting  an  hour,  we  started  with  our  train  to  overtake 
the  main  column,  which  was  several  miles  in  our  advance. 
It  was  a  dreary,  tiresome  night  march.  At  two  o'clock  in 
the  morning  we  halted,  made  coffee,  and  then  laid  down  to 
sleep.  Slept  until  four,  when  we  took  the  road  again,  and 
after  marching  four  or  five  miles,  came  up  to  the  rest  of  the 
army,  just  as  it  was  moving  out  on  the  road.  General 
Hunter  sent  word  to  us  to  rest  until  ten  o'clock,  and  then 
join  him  as  soon  as  possible.  Towards  noon,  as  we  were 
passing  a  house  by  the  roadside,  quite  a  number  of  women 
stood  at  the  door,  who  requested  us  to  unfurl  our  flags,  say 
ing  they  had  walked  several  miles  that  morning  "to  get 
one  more  look  at  the  old  stars  and  stripes."  The  flags 
were  unfurled,  and  the  men  gave  three  lusty  cheers  for 
these  loyal  women  of  Virginia.  As  the  men  started  up 
"The  Union  Forever,"  the  women  joined  their  voices  with 
theirs,  which  was  the  first  time  for  several  months  many  of 
them  had  heard  a  woman's  voice  in  the  harmony  of  song. 
We  reached  Lexington  just  before  dark,  and  just  as 
Crook,  who  had  come  in  by  another  road,  had  captured  the 
place.  Lexington  was  the  home  of  "  Stonewall "  Jackson 
and  Governor  Letcher.  Jackson's  remains  were  buried 
here.  By  General  Hunter's  orders  the  Virginia  Military 
Institute,  Washington  College,  Governor  Letcher's  resi 
dence,  and  some  other  fine  buildings,  including  the  resi 
dences  of  the  professors,  were  burned.  A  fine  bronze  statue 
of  Washington,  in  front  of  Washington  College,  was  taken 
down,  and  afterwards  taken  to  Wheeling.  Four  pieces  of 
artillery  which  belonged  to  Lafayette  were  loaded  up  and 
taken  with  us.  Two  64-pounders  of  the  same  battery  were 
left  for  want  of  transportation.  There  is  a  slack-water 
navigation  of  the  James  River  at  Lexington;  and  a  great 


104  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

many  canal  boats  were  captured  and  destroyed,  as  they 
were  being  run  off  to  Richmond,  laden  with  public  and  pri 
vate  stores  of  various  kinds.  Six  pieces  of  artillery  were 
among  the  cargoes.  The  young  cadets  of  the  Military  In 
stitute  fought  better  than  any  rebels  on  the  field  at  Lexing 
ton.  Their  bravery  and  skill  was  worthy  of  a  better  cause. 
General  Hunter  has  been  severely  censured  for  burning 
the  buildings  here,  and  destroying  property,  especially  for 
allowing  Washington  College  to  be  pillaged,  and  its  libraries 
and  apparatus  carried  off.  Generals  Crook,  Averill  and 
Sullivan  protested  against  the  act  at  the  time,  and  all  felt 
indignant,  because  they  regarded  the  act  as  wanton  vandal 
ism.  The  burning  of  the  Military  Institute  was  not  so 
much  objected  to,  and  yet  its  destruction  involved  the  loss 
of  several  fine  libraries,  museums,  valuable  apparatus,  math 
ematical  and  astronomical  instruments,  and  rare  works  of 
science  and  art,  the  destruction  of  which  benefitted  nobody, 
but  in  which  science,  art  and  literature  suffered  a  great  and 
irreparable  loss.  But  for  the  vandalism  in  the  college,  there 
can  be  no  excuse.  Washington  College  was  organized  in 
1749,  was  endowed  by  General  George  Washington  in 
1796  with  100  shares  in  the  James  River  Canal  Company, 
which  was  afterwards  commuted  by  the  Legislature  of  Vir 
ginia  to  an  interest  bearing  fund  of  $50,000,  at  which  time 
it  was  given  its  name,  it  having  before  that  been  known  as 
Washington  and  Lee  University,  which  last  name  was 
again  given  it  on  the  death  of  General  Lee  in  1870.  At 
the  time  it  was  vandalized,  in  1864,  it  had  libraries  contain 
ing  20,000  volumes,  among  which  were  many  very  old  and 
rare  books.  To  be  sure,  it  and  the  Institute  had  educated 
a  great  many  officers  for  the  rebel  army,  but  West  Point 
had  educated  a  great  many  more  than  both  of  them  for  the 
same  army.  The  name  and  memory  of  its  great  founder 
should  have  saved  it  from  the  vandalism  of  Turks,  and 
what  can  be  offered  in  palliation  of  the  act  when  committed 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  IO5 

by  American  soldiers?  It  will  always  remain  a  deep  re 
proach  to  General  Hunter,  gallant  soldier  though  he  was. 
The  army  moved  from  Lexington  on  the  I4th,  our  reg 
iment  again  being  rear  guard.  The  main  body  reached 
Buchanan  late  in  the  afternoon,  where  they  found  a  long 
bridge  spanning  the  James  River,  destroyed  by  the  rebels 
the  day  before,  as  were  all  others,  great  and  small,  along 
the  road,  as  they  fell  back  before  our  cavalry.  The  citi 
zens  of  Buchanan  had  done  all  they  could  to  prevent  the 
burning  of  the  long  bridge  across  the  river,  first  because 
firing  it  would  endanger  the  safety  of  the  town,  and  second, 
because  the  river  was  everywhere  fordable.  But  McCans- 
land  had  a  mania  for  burning,  and,  as  anticipated,  the  town 
was  also  set  on  fire,  and  a  great  many  fine  buildings,  includ 
ing  nearly  all  the  stores,  were  burned.  The  main  body  of 
the  troops  were  across  by  midnight,  but  the  delays  at  the 
front  prevented  our  regiment  reaching  Buchanan,  until  3 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  We  had  to  remain  on  the  north 
side  of  the  river  until  everything  was  across,  and  so  rested 
a  few  hours,  but  all  our  cooking  utensils  were  in  our  wagon, 
away,  somewhere,  to  the  front  of  the  train,  and  so  could 
cook  nothing  to  eat.  Next  morning,  June  i5th,  we  forded 
the  river  and  started  for  Liberty,  the  other  side  of  the  Blue 
Ridge,  over  what  is  called  the  "Peak  Road,"  taking  its 
name  from  the  fact  that  it  passes  the  "  Peaks  of  Otter," 
three  very  high  mountains  close  together  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Blue  Ridge.  On  our  Way  across,  we  were  greatly 
impeded  by  trees  felled  across  the  road,  rocks  rolled  in,  and 
streams  of  water  diverted  from  t-heir  course  into  the  road. 
At  one  place  we  saw  the  body  of  a  man  lying  by  the  road 
side.  It  would  shock  anyone  to  repeat  the  trilling  remarks 
made  by  the  men  as  they  passed  him.  We  passed  between 
two  of  the  Peaks  of  Otter,  and  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of 
the  Natural  Bridge,  but  not  being  on  a  pleasure  excursion, 
we  did  not  visit  this  marvelous  curiosity  of  nature.  A  few 


IO6  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

of  our  daring  fellows,  who  never  miss  anything  in  any  coun 
try  through  which  they  pass,  did  visit  it,  however,  and 
brought  away  with  them  relics  in  proof  of  their  midnight 
venture.  Near  the  summit  of  one  of  the  Peaks  of  Otter  is 
a  very  large  spring,  from  which  flows  Otter  Creek.  We 
camped  a  short  distance  beyond  the  Peaks,  and  drank  from 
the  cool  water  of  this  strange  mountain  spring.  Next  day 
we  passed  through  Liberty,  which  was  at  that  time  almost 
nothing  but  a  rebel  hospital.  The  houses  were  nearly  all 
filled  with  rebel  wounded,  and,  besides,  there  were  four 
large  hospital  buildings,  erected  for  the  purpose  of  accom 
modating  the  wounded  from  Lee's  army.  Every  village 
we  entered  east  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  and  every  one  reached 
by  our  cavalry  on  either  flank  for  miles,  was  in  the  same 
situation.  Every  country  house  and  barn  was  filled  to  re 
pletion  with  wounded  men.  The  Virginia  &  Tennessee 
Railroad  passes  through  Liberty,  and  utter  destruction  was 
made  of  its  depots,  track,  etc.,  as  usual  in  such  cases.  Lib 
erty  is  a  very  pretty  place,  and  the  people,  though  in  the 
heart  of  rebeldom,  treated  us  decently.  Some  of  the  more 
ignorant  people,  who  had  never  seen  a  "Yank"  before, 
were  surprised  to  see  us  without  horns  and  all  the  other 
traditional  appendages  of  "Old  Nick."  We  had  but  half 
rations  for  two  days  past,  and  the  Quartermaster  said  we 
would  have  none  to-morrow.  The  men  told  him  he  would 
suffer  if  we  had  none. 

June  1 7th,  we  left  our  camp,  three  miles  south  of  Lib 
erty,  for  Lynchburg.  About  10  A.  M.  we  met  the  enemy 
in  some  force,  but  drove  him  before  our  skirmish  line 
steadily,  till  between  2  and  3  P.  M.,  when  a  stand  was  made 
at  a  creek,  our  crossing  of  which  they  disputed.  But  the 
advance  was  sufficient  to  disperse  them,  not,  however,  until 
they  had  destroyed  the  bridge.  Its  reconstruction  delayed 
the  trains  and  its  guard  several  hours.  The  rear  guard 
came  up  while  it  was  yet  scarcely  begun.  All  were  in 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  IO7 

haste  to  cross,  but  the  engineer  in  charge  of  its  reconstruc 
tion  was  bound  to  see  that  it  was  put  up  only  after  the 
most  approved  methods  of  regular  army  bridge  building. 
But  the  plans  were  too  elaborate  and  tedious,  and  every 
body  got  out  of  patience,  for  firing  in  front  was  urging 
everyone  forward,  especially  the  artillery.  Western  expe 
dients  came  to  the  rescue.  When  the  n6th  came  up,  Cap 
tain  John  F.  Welch,  of  our  regiment,  who  was  in  charge  of 
the  pioneer  corps  of  our  division,  was  expostulating  with 
the  engineer  against  his  plans,  which  involved  too  much 
time.  Finally  he  prevailed  on  the  engineer  to  let  him  try 
his  way  of  building  a  bridge  uin  a  hurry,"  and  calling  for 
a  number  of  good  choppers  from  the  n6th,  which  it  con 
tained  in  abundance,  as  he  knew,  they  went  into  a  woods 
close  by  and  began  cutting  timbers,  which  were  carried  to 
the  ground  by  the  stalwart  fellows  of  the  regiment,  and  in 
less  than  an  hour  the  artillery  was  crossing,  on  the  gallop,  to 
the  front.  Moving  on  rapidly  now,  we  arrived  at  the 
Quaker  Stone  Church,  in  the  midst  of  a  sharp  engagement, 
in  which  the  pist  Ohio  suffered  considerably,  Colonel 
Turlev  being  severely  wounded.  The  n6th  took  but 
small  part  in  this  affair,  being  too  far  to  the  left,  the  fight 
ing  being  more  to  the  right.  Crook's  division  was  engaged 
with  the  enemy  at  the  church  when  we  came  up.  The 
rebels  were  driven  from  this  point  into  their  entrenchments 
around  Lynchburg.  Our  division  now  relieved  the  second, 
which  went  into  camp.  By  this  time  it  was  dark,  and  after 
our  regiment  had  been  moved  from  one  point  to  another 
several  times,  we  went  on  the  picket  line,  quite  close  up 
to  the  rebel  entrenchments,  and  there  lay  until  morning. 
About  10  o'clock  that  night,  we  heard  the  whistle  of  a  loco 
motive  and  the  rolling  of  a  train.  From  that  hour  till  noon 
next  day,  wre  could  hear  trains  arriving,  and  after  daylight 
could  see  large  bodies  of  troops  moving  out  of  the  city 
towards  our  position,  and  hear  bands  playing,  and  see 


IO8  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

movements  in  all  directions,  which  clearly  indicated  the  ar 
rival  of  large  reinforcements.  Early  in  the  morning,  we 
were  moved  out  to  the  extreme  left  in  support  of  a  battery. 
The  rebels  did  some  of  the  best  artillery  firing  we  ever 
saw,  and  our  battery  had  scarcely  opened  fire,  before  it  was 
obliged  to  retire  to  shelter.  Their  sharp-shooters  were  also 
extremely  accurate  in  their  aim,  thev  seemed  to  know  the 
ground  perfectly.  About  2  p.  M.,  the  rebels  made  a  desper 
ate  charge  on  the  right  and  center  of  our  brigade.  We 
were  then  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  left  of  it.  Our  battery 
pulled  out  for  the  right,  and  we  hastened  to  the  support  of 
our  brigade.  While  en  route  to  join  the  brigade,  a  column 
of  rebels  was  seen  coming  through  the  woods,  directly  on 
our  flank.  The  rebels  were  making  a  charge  on  our  cen 
ter,  which  they  were  driving  back  slowly.  Two  different 
regiments  went  forward  in  turn  to  check  the  rebel  advance, 
but  each  was  repulsed.  By  this  time  we  had  reached  a 
position  directly  in  the  course  of  the  regiment  that  had  been 
last  sent  in,  and  was  now  falling  back  through  us  in  disor 
der.  Here  we  halted  to  stop  the  further  advance  of  the 
enemy.  We  had  hardly  halted,  before  Colonel  Washburn 
received  an  order  to  "charge  with  the  n6th."  We  imme 
diately  formed  for  the  charge,  and  went  down  upon  the 
charging  rebels,  just  as  they  were  ascending  a  hill.  We 
had  the  advantage  in  charging  down,  as  they  were  charging 
up  the  hill,  and  we  not  only  checked  them,  but  they  broke 
in  wild  confusion  to  their  breastworks.  Clambering  over 
them,  we  pushed  on  to  their  second  line,  being  now  rein 
forced  by  the  5th  West  Virginia,  under  Colonel  Enochs. 
Here  we  were  met  by  a  very  heavy  force  well  entrenched, 
and,  lying  down,  we  fought  hard  against  desperate  odds, 
waiting  for  help,  which  we  felt  \vould  surely  come,  until  we 
were  assaulted  on  both  flanks  by  infantry,  and  by  grape 
and  cannister  from  a  battery,  planted  not  five  rods  in  our 
front.  We  then  fell  back  to  the  first  line  of  works  we  had 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  I  Op 

taken,  and  on  their  face,  fought  again,  until  we  were  struck 
on  our  left  by  a  large  force  which  crossed  over  the  works 
in  the  woods  on  that  flank.  We  then  fell  back  to  a  posi 
tion  in  the  woods,  through  which  we  had  charged,  where 
we  remained  for  some  time  unmolested,  and  to  which  we 
carried  most  of  our  wounded.  Among  our  badly  wounded 
was  Captain  Edwin  Keyes  and  Color  Sergeant  Fred.  E. 
Humphrey,  both  of  whom  we  were  obliged  to  leave  behind 
us.  We  again  fell  back  to  the  line  of  the  rest  of  the  troops, 
only  to  find  that  the  retreat  had  commenced. 

Our  regiment  was  praised  \vithout  stint  for  its  gallantry 
on  this  occasion.  It  was  the  only  regiment  of  Hunter's 
army  that  entered  the  rebel  works  about  Lynchburg;  its 
colors  were  the  only  colors  carried  over  them,  or  planted 
upon  them.  To  show  that  this  is  no  idle  boasting,  I  quote 
from  several  authorities,  and  first  General  Hunter  says  in 
his  report:  "The  n6th  Ohio  made  a  gallant  charge,  and 
carried  its  colors  over  the  enemy's  works,  but  was  com 
pelled  to  retire  before  superior  numbers." 

Major  Pratt,  of  the  34th  Massachusetts,  wrote:  "For 
a  moment  the  stars  and  stripes,  borne  by  the  color  bearer 
of  the  n6th  Ohio,  \vere  seen  waving  from  the  enemy's 
breastworks;  but  the  word  to  withdraw  was  given,  and 
soon  our  troops  occupied  nearly  their  old  position." 

George  E.  Pond,  in  "The  Shenandoah  V alley  in  1864," 
says :  "  During  the  afternoon,  Hunter  attacked  in  force, 
bringing  into  action  his  two  divisions  of  infantry  and  his  ar 
tillery  in  the  center,  on  and  near  the  Bedford  turnpike, 
Duffie  along  the  Forest  road,  on  the  left,  and  a  part  of 
Averill's  along  the  Campbell  road,  on  the  right.  Early's 
infantry  sallied  from  their  works  on  the  Bedford  road  to 
meet  this  attack,  but  were  gallantly  driven  back  by  Sulli 
van,  aided  by  Crook,  and  the  n6th  even  planted  its  colors 
on  Early's  breastworks." 


IIO  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

The  second  division,  under  General  Crook,  moved  to 
the  right  early  in  the  morning,  and  reconnoitered  the  ene 
my's  position  in  that  direction  for  three  or  four  miles,  seek 
ing  in  vain  for  an  unguarded  spot  at  which  to  make  an 
attack  on  the  enemy's  left. 

General  Crook  says  in  his  report  of  July  yth,  1864:  "I 
was  sent  to  the  right  to  make  a  reconnoisance,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  turning  the  enemy's  left.  Found  it  impracticable, 
after  marching  three  or  four  miles,  and  had  just  returned 
with  my  division  and  got  it  in  position  to  support  General 
Sullivan  when  the  enemy  made  an  attack  on  our  lines." 

About  seven  o'clock  we  moved  out,  and  followed  in  the 
rear  of  the  trains  all  that  night.  Our  loss  in  the  charge 
was  twelve  killed,  twenty-two  wounded  and  ten  prisoners, 
as  follows: 

KILLED. 

Privates  James  A.  Boyd  and  Jefferson  Gatten,  Company  A;  Charles  C.  Davis,  Com 
pany  B;  Geo.  B.  Blair,  Geo  M.  Coulter  and  Jacob  Kernan.  Company  E;  William 
Fisher,  Company  F;  Gilbert  Van  Horn,  Company  I;  Moses  F.  Starr,  Micajah  Gowdy 
and  Evander  B.  Hamilton,  Company  D,  and  Geerge  Lyons,  Company  K. 

WOUNDED. 

COMPANY  A— Corporal  John  W.  Devore,  foot;  Henry  Harmon,  thigh ;  Daniel  P, 
Hubbard,  bowels. 

COMPANY  B— Captain  Edwin  Keyes,  knee  and  elbow,  (died  at  Lynchburg,  Va., 
July  19th,  1864,);  Color  Sergeant  Fred.  E.  Humphrey,  shoulder  and  neck;  Royal 
Daines,  side,  (died  of  his  wounds  after  muster  out,);  Philip  Feiger,  William  E. 
Lefaver. 

COMPANY  C— Corporal  Walter  Tacker,  leg;  John  Egger,  leg. 

COMPANY  D— Corporal  Alexander  Straight,  arm;  James  G.  Dally,  leg;  Isaiah 
Mozena. 

COMPANY  E— Sergeant  John  G.  Reithmiller,  side ;  Joseph  Connor,  hip. 
COMPANY  F— William  Allen,  right  arm  amputated;  Jacob  Martin,  head. 

COMPANY  G— Corporal  James  B.  Miller,  ankle;  David  A.  Moore,  (died  at  Anderson- 
ville,  Ga.,  August  14,  1864.) 

COMPANY  H— Isaac  Russell,  side. 
COMPANY  I— Corporal  William  Scott,  head . 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  Ill 

COMPANY  K— Corporal  Carmi  Allison,  lungs ;  Corporal  John  Young,  foot ;  Corporal 
Perry  Gardner,  neck;  William  Hunter,  finger. 

PRISONERS. 

Captain  Edwin  Keyes,  Sergeant  Fred.  E.  Humphrey,  Horace  McNeal,  Wells  Grubb, 
William  E.  Lefaver,  Nelson  Watson,  Royal  Hoyt,  Alex  C.  Warren,  all  of  Company  B; 
Albin  Vickers,  Company  C,  and  John  Vickers,  of  Company  D. 

Making  a  total  loss  of  forty-four  killed,  wounded  and 
missing. 

Color  Sergeant  Fred.  E.  Humphrey  was  wounded  while 
waving  his  colors  over  the  rebel  works.  He  displayed  the 
greatest  gallantry,  the  whole  color  guard  as  gallantly  gath 
ering  about  and  following  to  the  last  forward  step.  The 
entire  guard  mounted  the  works  beside  him,  and  their 
dauntless  courage  inspired  the  whole  regiment  to  charge 
over  and  up  to  the  enemy's  second  line.  As  he  fell,  terri 
bly  wounded,  one  of  the  guard  caught  the  colors  and  held 
them  to  the  front,  until  wre  fell  back.  The  Corporals  named 
among  the  \vounded  were  nearly  all  of  the  guard,  and 
when  \ve  came  out  of  the  fight,  it  was  found  necessary  to 
organize  a  new  color  guard.  Volunteers  to  carry  them 
were  called  for,  and  among  the  number  who  stepped  for 
ward  wras  private  James  Logan,  of  company  C,  to  \vhom 
one  of  the  standards  was  given,  and  who  most  honorably, 
and  with  the  most  unflinching  bravery,  carried  it  through 
some  of  the  subsequent  battles  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley, 
until  he  was  promoted  to  the  chaplaincy  of  the  regiment,  on 
the  1 2th  of  November,  1864,  for  brave  and  meritorious  con 
duct  as  color  bearer.  He  was  in  very  truth  a  "fighting 
parson,"  and,  withal,  a  most  exemplary  Christian  gentle 
man.  Poor,  brave  Sergeant  Humphrey  we  were  compelled 
to  leave  behind  us,  as  we  were  also  Captain  Keyes.  The 
Captain  had  a  knee  and  an  elbow  shattered  writh  musket 
balls,  and  he  died  at  Lynchburg  on  the  ipth  of  July,  from 
the  effects  of  these  wounds.  He  led  his  company  most 


112  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

heroically  in  the  battle,  and  received  his  first  wound  in  the 
knee,  at  the  last  moment,  in  holding  his  company  against  the 
charge  made  on  our  left,  just  before  we  fell  back  into  the 
woods  from  the  rebel  works,  and  his  second,  in  the  elbow, 
just  as  we  began  to  fall  back.  He  was  carried  back  by  his 
men,  and  when  he  heard  the  command  to  halt  given  out 
along  the  line  in  the  woods,  he  repeated  it  to  his  men,  and 
directed  them  to  form  in  their  places.  As  soon  as  it  was 
learned  that  he  was  badly  wounded,  the  officers  and  his 
men  gathered  about  him  to  bid  him  farewell,  for  it  was  evi 
dent  he  could  not  be  moved  far.  The  rebels  were  now 
shelling  the  woods  with  great  fury,  and  being  still  within 
range  of  their  grape  and  cannister,  also  the  rattle  of  small 
arms,  the  hurling  and  crashing  of  flying  missies,  the  explo 
sion  of  shells,  and  the  yells  of  the  victorious  enemy,  com 
bined  to  make  one  of  the  wildest  battle  scenes  we  ever  wit 
nessed.  Captain  Keyes  was  now  conveyed  to  the  field 
hospital.  His  loss  was  mourned,  not  alone  by  his  own 
company,  but  by  the  whole  regiment. 

The  march  that  night  was  dreary  enough.  Our  men 
had  had  but  one  cracker  apiece  in  two  days,  had  marched 
all  one  of  these,  fought  all  the  other,  and  stood  picket  dur 
ing  the  intervening  night.  In  this  condition,  we  marched 
all  night  quite  rapidly,  and  overtook  the  train  about  day 
light  next  morning.  We  reached  our  old  camp  of  the  night 
before,  about  6  A.  M.,  and  stopped  to  make  coffee.  The 
ever  faithful  colored  people  now  began  flocking  to  our 
army  by  the  hundreds.  Many  of  them  carried  heavy  loads 
of  provisions,  which  they  gladly  divided  with  the  soldiers, 
and  told  us  where  flour,  meal,  bacon,  hogs  and  other  eat 
ables  were  concealed.  A  foraging  expedition  sent  out  near 
Liberty,  under  the  guidance  of  a  squad  of  colored  men,  re 
turned  in  a  short  time  with  some  provisions,  which  were 
soon  made  a  meal  of.  Three  good  horses  were  also 
brought  in,  taken  from  the  cellar  of  a  "  mansion "  close  by. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  1 13 

Some  provisions  were  saved  for  another  meal.  Now,  when 
we  say  "meal,"  we  do  not  mean  to  be  understood  as 
having  had  all  we  wanted  to  eat.  Not  by  great  odds! 
Some  had  none,  others  a  little,  and  a  few  lucky  fellows, 
who  always  had  enough,  no  matter  what  happened,  had  an 
abundance.  A  letter  written  by  Quartermaster  Sergeant 
Walker  to  his  friends  at  Athens,  upon  our  arrival  at  Gau- 
ley  Bridge,  under  date  of  July  ist,  1864,  gives  such  a 
graphic,  faithful  history  of  the  retreat  from  Lynchburg, 
that  with  his  consent  we  give  it  here  in  full: 

"TuNE  i8TH — The  nVhtino;  commenced  in  ofood  season 

J  O  O  CD 

this  morning.  Our  regiment  had  been  on  picket  all  night, 
and  I  had  not  seen  them.  After  breakfast  the  hospital 
steward  wanted  me  to  go  and  help  him  in  the  hospital.  I 
started,  and  was  afterwards  told  I  was  wanted  on  the  field 
to  assist  in  the  ambulance  corps.  I  went  out  and  reported 
to  Dr.  Smith,  of  our  regiment,  and  remained  with  him  till 
after  the  hardest  of  the  light,  which  came  off  between  2 
and  3  o'clock  p.  M.  The  rebels  charged  our  centre,  and 
drove  it.  Another  regiment  then  went  forward,  and  were 
also  driven  back  by  the  enemy.  Our  regiment  then  went 
into  the  breach,  and  not  only  checked  the  rebels,  but  drove 
them  clear  back,  and  if  I  am  not  mistaken  in  the  time,  they 
charged  them  then,  and  came  near  taking  another  line  of 
works,  and  would  have  succeeded  had  they  been  properly 
supported.  In  the  charge  Captain  Keyes,  of  company  B, 
was  wounded  in  the  left  knee  and  left  elbow7,  and,  it  is 
feared,  it  will  be  necessary  to  amputate  both  the  arm  and 
leg;  if  so,  he  cannot  possibly  live.  I  could  not  keep  from 
shedding  tears  when  I  saw7  him  the  first  time,  and  yet  he 
would,  while  lying  there  on  his  back,  sing  in  a  cheerful 
tone,  "  Rally  Round  the  Flag,"  and  talk  to  others  to  cheer 
them  up.  He  was  a  good  soldier  and  a  GOOD  CHRISTIAN. 
This  latter  accounts  for  his  cheerfulness,  even  while  he 
knew  he  must  in  all  probability  die.'  But  death  had  no 


114  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

terrors  for  him.  We  also  had  another  "color  bearer" 
wounded,  making  in  all  three  that  have  been  wounded  dur 
ing  this  raid.  Our  flags,  too,  are  beginning  to  look  the 
worse  for  wear.  Our  loss  in  this  fight  has  not  been  so 
great  as  in  the  first,  but  the  wounds  are  of  a  more  serious 
character.  I  saw  no  less  than  a  dozen  amputations  per 
formed,  and  there  were  others  that  would  have  to  be  per 
formed  the  next  day,  or  as  soon  as  possible.  I  do  hope  and 
pray  I  may  never  be  called  upon  to  witness  the  horrors  of 
another  battle  field.  And  yet  there  is  no  cloud  so  dark  but 
it  may  have  a  silver  lining.  The  poor  fellows  are  so 
thankful  when  you  do  anything  for  them,  it  is  a  pleasure  to 
wait  on  them.  After  going  to  the  hospital  with  Captain 
Keyes  and  the  Color  Sergeant,  I  did  not  return  to  the  field, 
but  Lee  and  I  busied  ourselves,  trying  to  make  the  men  of 
our  regiment  as  comfortable  as  possible.  We  carried  them 
into  a  large  barn  that  had  been  prepared  for  a  hospital, 
where  we  made  beds  of  new  mown  hay.  Every  man  we 
moved  was  covered  with  blood,  and  by  the  time  we  were 
through  we  were  about  as  bloody  as  the  wounded  men. 
*  *  *  *  By  6  A.  M.  Sunday,  we  reached  our  old  camp 
near  Liberty,  where  we  stopped  to  get  breakfast.  Some 
of  the  men  had  foraged  a  little  flour  along  the  road,  of 
which  they  made  batter  cakes,  but  many  of  the  men  were 
obliged  to  go  without  bread.  About  noon  we  moved  for 
ward  and  stopped  about  three  miles  the  other  side  of  the 
town  of  Liberty,  intending  to  stay  all  night,  but  the  enemy 
came  up  on  our  rear,  and  heavy  skirmishing  ensued.  Again 
we  moved  forward,  and  did  not  stop  till  Monday  morning. 
The  men  were  so  tired  that  they  would  go  to  sleep  in  the 
ranks.  I  went  sound  asleep  quite  a  number  of  times,  while 
walking  along,  and  was  only  awakened  by  making  a  wrong 
step,  or  something  of  that  sort.  While  the  skirmishing 
was  going  on  in  our  rear,  Sunday  evening,  the  boys 
went  out  and  brought  in  quite  a  quantity  of  flour  —  enough 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  T.  11$ 

to  last  a  whole  day.  It  was  that,  and  that  alone,  that 
enabled  the  men  to  make  the  long  march  they  did  Sun 
day  night  and  Monday  morning.  It  was  almost  noon 
when  we  stopped  for  breakfast.  The  men  had  barely  time 
to  bake  their  flour  and  fry  their  meat,  when  the  order  was 
given  to  '  fall  in.'  The  idea  of  starting  out  on  another  long 
march  without  rest  was  enough  to  sicken  any  one,  but  it 
must  be  done.  We  were  out  of  rations,  and  in  the  heart  of 
the  enemy's  country,  and  we  must  move  fast  or  suffer  from 
starvation,  Marched  all  night,  and  reached  Salem  early  in 
the  day,  Tuesday.  There  was  some  skirmishing  upon  our 
approaching  the  town,  but  the  enemy  were  easily  driven 
off.  Leaving  Salem,  we  had  a  rough  mountain  pass  to  go 
through,  a  place  of  all  others  where  we  might  expect  dan 
ger,  and  yet  the  train  and  artillery  were  started  off  without 
the  show  of  a  guard.  The  train  of  wagons  passed  through 
safely,  but  just  as  soon  as  the  artillery  had  fairly  entered 
the  gap,  a  party  of  rebs  dashed  down  the  side  of  the  moun 
tain,  unharnessed  the  horses,  and  after  cutting  the  wheels 
of  the  artillery  wagons,  started  off  over  the  mountain.  As 
soon  as  word  could  be  got  to  General  Hunter,  a  cavalry 
force  was  started  in  pursuit  and,  I  believe,  succeeded  in 
bringing  back  some  of  the  horses.  Some  of  the  pieces 
were  not  so  badly  damaged  but  that  we  brought  them 
away  with  us,  but  we  were  obliged  to  burn  and  destroy 
eight  of  the  guns.  Aside  from  that  disaster,  this  raid  has 
been  a  great  success,  but  that  leaves  a  black  mark  for  us 
to  look  back  upon.  This  gap,  like  most  others  we  have 
passed  through,  is  deep  and  narrow,  mountains  rising  on 
either  side  at  an  angle  of  forty-rive  degrees,  very  rocky,  a 
small  stream  winding  from  one  side  of  the  road  to  the  other, 
It  always  makes  me  feel  lonely  to  pass  one  of  them,  and  yet 
I  am  glad  when  I  hear  there  is  one  of  them  on  our  route. 
After  having  marched  us  three  days  and  three  nights,  Gen 
eral  Hunter  concluded  to  let  us  rest  Tuesday  night,  and 


Il6  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

you  may  be  sure  the  boys  were  not  sorry.  After  making 
coffee  and  frying  meat,  they  laid  down  and  slept  soundly 
till  morning.  One  of  our  men  went  out  and  found  a  sack  of 
green  tea,  with  over  a  bushel  of  tea  in  it.  Wednesday  we 
passed  a  house  where  a  number  of  ladies  had  come  together 
from  a  distance  to  get  one  more  look  at  the  old  flag  they 
so  well  loved.  Our  flag  was  unfurled,  and  three  cheers 
given  for  the  flag,  and  three  for  the  ladies.  Our  bed  that 
night  was  the  rockiest  place  you  ever  saw.  Gather  to 
gether  a  lot  of  boulders  out  of  the  river,  from  the  size  of 
your  fist  to  that  of  your  head,  throw  them  on  the  ground 
till  you  cannot  see  anything  but  stones,  cover  them  with  a 
single  blanket,  and  you  are  ready  to  lie  down.  'A  hard 
bed,'  I  think  I  hear  you  say,  and  yet  I  never  slept  more 
sweetly  than  on  that  very  same  pile  of  stones.  Thursday, 
23d,  we  crossed  three  pretty  high  mountains,  "Sinking 
Creek,"  "Spotts"  and  "Sweet  Spring"  mountains.  While 
crossing  these  mountains,  many  of  the  teams  gave  out, 
making  it  necessary  to  burn  the  wagons.  No  less  than 
fifty  wagons  were  destroyed  in  this  way  in  one  day,  and 
from  250  to  300  horses  and  mules  gave  out,  and  were  shot 
by  the  rear  guard  to  prevent  them  from  falling  into  the 
enemy's  hands.  At  the  base  of  the  "  Sweet  Spring  Moun 
tains"  are  the  Sweet  Sulphur  Springs.  This,  though  not 
so  noted  a  place  as  the  White  Sulphur  Springs,  is  fast  be 
coming  a  place  of  some  renown.  The  buildings,  though 
not  quite  so  exensive,  are  still  sufficient  for  the  accommo 
dation  of  quite  a  number  of  guests.  The  main  building  is 
about  300  feet  long,  and  finished  off  in  very  good  style. 
There  are  two  large  baths,  one  for  ladies  and  one  for  gen 
tlemen,  with  dressing  rooms  for  each.  The  water  can  be 
graduated  from  three  feet  deep  to  six,  at  the  pleasure  of  the 
bathers.  I  merely  tasted  the  water  to  see  what  it  was  like. 
It  is  warm  and  has  a  sickish,  sulphurish,  metallicish,  nasty- 
ish  taste  that  can  not  be  described.  I  don't  see  what  folks 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  II 7 

want  to  drink  such  stuff  for.  If  they  were  compelled  to  do 
so,  I  am  sure  they  would  never  stop  complaining.  The 
Red  Sweet  Springs  are  about  a  mile  from  the  first,  but  are 
not  much  visited.  Friday,  24th,  marched  to  White  Sulphur 
Springs.  Little  did  I  think,  when  I  started  on  this  raid,  I 
would  have  an  opportunity  of  visiting  this  great  watering 
place  of  America,  second  only  to  Saratoga.  The  buildings 
are  much  more  extensive,  numbering  over  100  cottages.  I 
should  think  the  main  buildings  must  be  nearly  400  feet 
long,  with  porches  on  either  side;  the  basement  story  was 
used  for  culinary  purposes,  the  first  floor  contained  the  din 
ing-room  and  parlors,  the  former  occupying  the  central 
part  of  the  building,  the  latter  the  two  wings;  the  dining- 
hall  is  about  300  feet  long  by  fifty  feet  wide,  the  parlors 
about  seventy-five  by  fifty;  the  second  and  third  stories  are 
used  as  rooms  for  guests,  and,  though  very  small,  the 
rooms  are  generally  finished  off  in  plain  style.  Everything 
has  been  removed  since  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  and 
the  whole  thing  looks  desolate  indeed.  The  cottages  are 
divided  as  a  general  thing,  into  four  rooms  and  a  bath 
room,  with  high  ceilings,  large  windows  and  doors,  with 
porches  in  front,  and  high  steps.  On  the  25th  and  26th, 
marched  as  rapidly  as  we  could.  The  men  have  been 
without  bread  for  four  days.  (I  have  only  been  out  three 
days.)  We  are  living  on  fresh  beef  and  coffee;  27th  a 
supply  train  came  up  after  we  got  into  camp.  I  never  saw 
such  rejoicing.  Some  of  the  boys  were  so  weak  that  they 
could  hardly  talk.  The  29th,  we  passed  the  celebrated 
"  Lover's  Leap,"  and  "  Hawk's  Nest."  The  latter,  particu 
larly,  is  a  grand  sight.  You  stand  on  an  overhanging  rock 
and  look  down  several  hundred  feet  into  New  River,  which 
seems  directly  under  you,  and  yet  it  takes  a  good  man  to 
throw  a  stone  into  the  water.  Looking  up  the  stream,  you 
have  a  fine  view  of  the  river,  as  it  comes  leaping  and  dash 
ing  in  its  wild  career  over  the  rocks  between  the  two 


110  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

mountains.  We  reached  this  place,  (Gauley)  June  29th, 
tired,  dirty,  worn  out,  etc.,  etc." 

The  enemy's  infantry  followed  us  to  Bedford  Gap,  some 
of  his  cavalry,  under  McCausland,  to  Salem.  There  is  but 
little  to  add  to  the  excellent  account  of  Walker.  A  few  in 
cidents  of  the  march  only  remain  to  be  added.  The  night 
before  reaching  "  Sweet  Sulphur  Springs,"  companies  A 
and  B,  through  some  mistake,  were  left  on  picket  on  the 
top  of  Pott's  Mountain,  and  were  there  attacked.  Gilbert 
G.  Webster,  of  company  B,  was  wounded  in  the  arm. 
The  companies  made  a  good  stand,  and  it  was  due  to  this 
that  they  escaped  capture,  for  they  were  largely  outnum 
bered.  The  companies  rejoined  the  regiment  about  noon 
next  day,  pretty  thoroughly  exhausted. 

Quartermaster  Sergeant  Walker,  under  date  of  June 
28th,  wrote  in  his  diary:  "Found  a  sack  of  grain  in  the 
train  which  I  took.  First  we  have  had  since  leaving 
Salem."  This  shows,  as  well  as  more  words  would  do  it, 
how  the  poor  animals  of  the  army  fared.  A  great  many  of 
the  horses  giving  out  crossing  the  mountains  would,  after 
two  or  three  hours  rest  and  browsing  in  the  woods  into 
which  they  were  turned  loose,  revive  sufficiently  to  follow 
along,  and  were  utilized  by  the  men  in  carrying  knapsacks, 
guns,  etc.  The  poor  animals  were  so  hungry  they  would 
eat  anything,  and  though  the  men  were  half  starved  them 
selves,  they  would  cut  brush,  hunt  grass  and  forage,  as  much 
for  the  horses  that  were  carrying  their  knapsacks,  guns  and 
sick  companions  as  for  themselves.  In  this  way  a  great 
many  abandoned  horses  were  saved  and  brought  through  in 
very  good  shape.  During  our  halt  at  Meadow  Bluffs,  a 
private  soldier — and  I  wish  I  knew  his  name  for  special 
mention  here  —  came  to  our  headquarters  and  gave  the 
Colonel,  Lieutenant  Colonel  and  Adjutant  each  a  very  large, 
fresh  onion.  I  do  not  suppose  either  of  us  ever  expects 
again  to  taste  anything  half  as  delicious  as  those  onions 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

were,  or  to  be  presented  with  anything,  while  we  live,  that 
will  draw  from  our  hearts  such  profound  thanks.  Now 
and  then  our  men  would  find  among  the  mountains  an 
"applejack"  or  illicit  distillery.  Then  there  would  be 
"music  in  the  air"  for  a  time.  Colonel  Washburn's  teeth 
were  not  very  good,  and  his  attempts  at  "blessing"  the 
tough  meat  issued  to  us  was  a  caution  to  the  Chaplain. 
We  did  not  hear  of  President  Lincoln's  re-nomination,  which 
occurred  on  the  7th  of  June,  at  Baltimore,  until  the  day 
before  we  reached  Gauley  Bridge. 

The  assertion  has  often  been  made  that  we  might  have 
captured  Lynchburg  had  we  pressed  on  the  night  of  the 
ryth.  Facts,  since  developed,  show  conclusively  that  we 
could  not.  After  our  victory  at  Piedmont.  Vaughn  took  up 
a  position  in  Rock  Fish  Gap,  near  Waynesboro.  Two 
brigades  of  Breckenridge,  Wharton's  and  Echols',  were 
immediately  sent  there  to  reinforce  Vaughn.  As  soon  as 
Hunter  was  far  enough  up  the  valley  to  insure  that  he  did 
not  contemplate  approaching  Lynchburg  by  way  of  Rock 
Fish  Gap,  Breckenridge  hastened  to  Lynchburg  with  the 
rest  of  his  division,  to  which  he  also  withdrew  Vaughn, 
Wharton  and  Echols,  and  to  which  he  was  also  able  to  add 
quite  an  army  of  home  guards  and  convalescents,  for  Lynch 
burg  and  all  the  country  about  there  was  at  that  time  filled 
with  sick  and  wounded  from  Lee's  army.  These  forces 
alone  nearly  equalled  Hunter's  army,  and  they  were  put 
behind  strong  entrenchments  and  supplied  with  artillery. 
But  these  were  not  all  we  met  there  on  the  lyth.  On  the 
1 3th,  Lee  had  sent  Ewell's  corps,  then  under  Early,  from 
Cold  Harbor,  to  proceed  by  way  of  Louisa  and  Charlottes- 
ville,  and  passing  through  Brown's  Gap,  to  get  in  Hunter's 
rear,  who  was  then  supposed  to  be  at  Staunton.  Striking 
the  railroad  at  Charlottes ville,  on  the  i6th,  Early  learned  of 
Hunter's  near  approach  to  Lynchburg,  when,  hastily  putting 
his  men  aboard  cars,  he  pushed  them  rapidly  on  to  Lynch- 


I2O  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

burg,  and  on  the  i7th,  half  of  Early's  corps  had  reached  the 
place  and  the  other  half  had  reached  it  by  noon  of  the  i8th. 
It  was  part  of  Gordon's  and  Ramseur's  divisions  that  Crook 
and  Averill  fought  the  evening  of  the  lyth.  Of  the  delay 
at  Staunton  no  one  complains,  but  that  at  Lexington  has 
been  criticised.  But  there  was  a  sound  reason  for  this.  As 
Hunter  started  from  Staunton  he  sent  Duffie,  with  his  divi 
sion  of  cavalry,  to  demonstrate  against  Vaughn  at  Waynes- 
boro,  but  finding  him  too  strong  for  him  he  moved  further 
South,  and  crossed  the  Blue  Ridge  at  Tye  River  Gap. 
From  there  he  proceeded  to  Amherst  Court  House  where 
he  broke  the  Charlottesville  &  Lynchburg  Railroad,  and 
also  at  Avington  Station.  Imboden  followed  him,  when 
Durrie  turned  on  him  and  gave  him  a  terrible  whipping, 
capturing  100  prisoners,  400  horses,  and  a  part  of  Imboden's 
train.  He  destroyed,  beside,  some  iron  furnaces  and  a  large 
quantity  of  commissary  stores.  Hunter  sent  couriers  after 
him  to  return  to  the  army  and  waited  at  Lexington  for  his 
return,  which  he  did  not  do  until  the  afternoon  of  the  I3th. 
Durrie  was  evidently  bent  on  distinguishing  himself,  though 
it  might  be  at  the  expense  of  the  success  of  the  expedition. 
His  destruction  of  the  railroad  was  not  sufficient,  as  has 
been  seen,  to  keep  Early's  troops  from  being  conveyed  over 
the  railroad,  four  days  afterward,  from  Charlottesville  to 
Lynchburg,  and  he  caused  a  loss  of  two  days  at  Lexington 
waiting  for  him. 

The  plan  of  General  Grant's  campaign  comprehended  a 
simultaneous  movement,  early  in  May,  of  Generals  Sigel, 
Crook,  Averill,  and  Burbridge  upon  Lynchburg,  but  it 
failed  in  the  execution  as  entirely  as  did  that  of  General 
Butler's  against  Petersburg.  Sigel  was  defeated  at  New 
Market,  and  retiring  to  Cedar  Creek  was  relieved  by 
Hunter.  General  Crook  was  the  only  one  successful  in  the 
part  assigned  him.  He  attacked  and  defeated  Jenkins,  at 
Cloyd's  Mountain,  on  the  pth  of  May.  He  then  advanced 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  121 

as  far  as  Newbern,  on  the  Virginia  &  Tennessee  Railroad, 
where  he  was  met  by  General  Morgan,  with  a  superior 
force,  when  he  decided  to  give  up  the  attempt  to  reach 
Lvnchburg  and  return  to  Meadow  Bluffs.  Notwithstanding 
this  first  failure,  General  Grant  determined  to  carry  out  his 
original  plan,  and  organized  other  forces  to  cut  off  General 
Lee's  communications  by  the  Virginia  &  Tennessee  Rail 
road,  and,  if  possible,  to  occupy  Lvnchburg.  General 
Hunter  was  reinforced,  General  Crook,  General  Averill  and 
General  Sheridan  were  to  join  him  at  Staunton  or  Char- 
lottesville,  and  General  Burbridge,  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Bonsack's  Depot  or  Liberty.  Had  this  plan  not  miscarried 
by  the  failure  of  Sheridan  to  reach  us  from  the  one  side,  and 
Burbridge  from  the  other,  the  expedition  would  doubtless 
have  been  a  complete  success,  for  it  would  have  been 
extremely  hazardous  for  Lee  to  have  detached  troops 
enough,  from  his  army  confronting  Grant,  to  have  checked 
us. 

On  the  1 2th  of  June,  the  day  that  Hunter  reached  Lex 
ington,  Sheridan  was  forced  to  retreat  from  before  Gor- 
donsville  with  Torbert's  and  Gregg's  divisions  of  cavalry, 
so  that  his  movement  did  not  even  aid  Hunter  as  a  diver 
sion,  for  Early  reached  Charlottesville  on  the  i6th,  about 
the  date  of  Sheridan's  return  to  White  House.  General 
Sheridan  was  given  a  lengthy  letter  of  instructions  to  deliver 
to  General  Hunter  from  Grant,  which,  of  course,  never 
readied  him.  In  it,  Grant  said :  "  After  the  work  laid  out 
for  General  Sheridan  and  yourself  is  thoroughly  done, 
proceed  to  join  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  by  the  route  laid 
out  in  General  Sheridan's  instructions."  On  the  i6th  Sec 
retary  Stanton  wrrote  to  General  Stahel  as  follows :  "  Gen 
eral  Sheridan,  who  was  sent  by  General  Grant  to  open 
communications  with  General  Hunter,  by  way  of  Char 
lottesville,  has  just  returned  to  York  River  without  effecting 
his  object.  It  is,  therefore,  very  probable  that  General 


122  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

Hunter  will  be  compelled  to  fall  back  into  West  Virginia." 
The  "route  laid  out  in  General  Sheridan's  instructions"  for 
joining  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  the  one  pursued  by 
Sheridan  in  his  advance  to  and  retreat  from  Gordonsville. 
The  object  of  the  expedition  was  plain  enough:  to  destroy 
Lee's  communications  with  the  country  and  to  weaken  his 
lines  before  Grant.  But  history  shows  that  the  expedition 
had  another  quite  unlooked  for  effect,  and  one  much  more 
far-reaching  than  either  of  the  two  objects  named. 

After  the  fall  of  Atlanta,  Jefferson  Davis  told  the  people 
of  Georgia  that  "  an  audacious  movement  of  the  enemy,  up 
to  the  very  walls  of  Lynchburg,  had  rendered  it  necessary 
to  cover  that  vital  point  with  troops  otherwise  intended  for 
the  relief  of  Atlanta."  Burbridge,  who  was  to  co-operate 
with  Hunter,  was  diverted  from  doing  so  by  "Morgan's 
raid"  into  Kentucky,  and  finally  into  Ohio,  where  he  and 
his  whole  force  were  captured.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that 
"Hunter's  raid,"  as  it  was  termed,  proved  of  very  great 
importance  to  the  Union  cause  in  many  ways,  that  it  stirred 
up  the  enemy  in  several  directions,  and  frustrated  the  plans 
of  Davis  and  Lee  more,  perhaps,  than  anything  occurring 
during  the  campaign  of  1864. 

An  expedition  attended  with  such  important  results  can 
not,  in  truth,  be  called  a  failure.  General  Hunter,  himself, 
on  June  28th,  expressed  the  view,  in  a  dispatch  to  the 
Secretary  of  War,  that  the  expedition  had  been  "extremely 
successful,  inflicting  great  injury  upon  the  enemy."  And 
in  this  view  the  Secretary  and  General  Grant  fully  coin 
cided,  and  so  did  the  country,  as  soon  as  the  true  state  of 
facts  became  known.  It  was  never  intended  by  General 
Grant  that  Lynchburg  should  be  held,  even  should  it  be 
captured.  In  his  instructions  to  Hunter  he  said :  "Accord 
ing  to  the  instructions  I  sent  General  Halleck  for  your 
guidance,  you  were  to  proceed  to  Lynchburg  for.  a  single 
day.  But  that  point  is  of  so  much  importance  to  the  enemy 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  123 

that  in  attempting  to  get  it,  such  resistance  may  be  met  as 
to  defeat  your  getting  on  to  the  road  or  canal  at  all."  But 
we  did  get  on  to  both  the  road  and  the  canal,  and  destroyed 
both  for  long  distances,  and  carried  out  instructions  by 
remaining  at  Lynchburg  a  "  single  day,"  and  night  too. 

A  letter  written  to  the  Athens  (Ohio)  Messenger  by  an 
officer  of  the  n6th,  from  Gauley  Bridge,  under  date  of 
July  ist,  1864,  sums  *up  the  results  of  the  expedition  as 
follows :  "  We  destroyed  the  Virginia  Central  Railroad 
from  near  Waynesboro  to  its  terminus  near  Covington. 
The  destruction  of  the  Virginia  &  Tennessee  Railroad  was 
almost  complete  from  Lynchburg  to  Salem,  a  distance  of 
sixty  miles.  Every  mill,  factory,  furnace,  foundry  and  shop 
in  the  valley,  at  which  anything  was  ever  made,  or  could  be 
made,  for  the  use  of  the  rebel  army,  was  destroyed.  Per 
haps  $30,000,000  will  cover  the  loss  to  the  rebels  though 
many  estimate  it  much  greater.  We  captured  3,000  pris 
oners,  killed  and  wounded  about  2,000,  and  broke  up  entirely 
the  rebel  army  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  All  the  furnaces 
and  iron  works  of  Botetourt  county  were  destroyed.  These 
mainly  supplied  the  rebel  manufactories  in  Richmond  with 
material  for  cannon,  etc.  The  James  River  Canal  was  also 
badly  used  up  for  miles  out  of  Lexington.  Our  loss  will 
not  exceed  1,500  men  killed,  wounded  and  missing.  All  of 
Hunter's  subordinate  officers  agreed  that  he  had  conducted 
the  campaign  admirably,  and  with  great  skill  and  energy. 
And  General  Crook,  speaking  of  his  division,  says:  The 
division  became  a  little  straightened  for  provisions,  but  came 
out  in  good  shape,  thus  settling  the  efforts  of  some  officers 
of  his  division  to  antagonize  Crook  against  Hunter,  and  at 
the  same  time  setting  at  rest  the  extravagant  tales  of  suffer 
ing  on  the  retreat. 

Yet  still  the  boys  would  always  sing 

"  General  Hunter,  on  the  Lynchburg  raid, 
D — d  near  starved  the  First  Brigade. 
Stuval,  Stuval,  etc." 


124  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

Reaching  Gauley  Bridge,  on  the  2pth  of  June,  we  rested 
until  the  2d  of  July,  when  we  marched  down  to  Camp  Piatt, 
At  this  place  we  embarked  upon  steamboats,  and  made  our 
way  tediously  down  the  Kanawha,  and  up  the  Ohio  to 
Parkersburg,  frequently  disembarking  and  marching  by 
shoals  in  the  river,  the  water  being  very  low.  As  rough 
and  uncouth  as  was  our  appearance  when  we  first  entered 
Parkersburg,  in  September  1862,  it  was  far  worse  now. 
The  clothing  of  the  officers  and  men  was  in  tatters  and 
dirty,  half  were  barefooted,  and  all  worn  down  by  the  hard 
ships  of  the  expedition.  To  add  to  their  misfortunes,  the 
camp  diarrhoea  had  set  in  before  we  left  Gauley  Bridge, 
and  had  prostrated  a  great  many  men.  We  were  truly 
"forlorn  and  shipwrecked  brothers."  Getting  near  their 
homes  on  the  4th,  many  of  the  men  of  companies  B,  I,  and 
G  were  permitted  to  visit  their  friends  in  Meigs  and  Athens 
counties,  under  a  promise  to  rejoin  us  at  Parkersburg  on  the 
7th,  which  promise  they  kept.  Colonel  Charles  G.  Halpine, 
("Miles  O'Reiley,")  who  was  General  Hunter's  Adjutant 
General,  gave  a  magnificent  dinner  to  the  officers  of  the 
n6th  Ohio  and  5th  West  Virginia,  at  Parkersburg,  in 
honor  of  their  charge  on  the  rebel  works  at  Lynchburg. 
They  were  so  scattered  in  moving,  however,  that  many  of 
them  did  not  have  the  pleasure  of  enjoying  the  generous 
hospitality  of  this  brilliant  and  gallant  Irishman. 

A  great  many  of  our  Ohio  friends  met  us  here  with 
cordial  greetings.  On  the  pth,  we  took  cars  and  started  for 
our  old  home,  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  Reaching  Cherry 
Run  on  the  loth,  we  found  the  railroad  torn  up.  From 
there  we  marched  to  Martinsburg,  where  we  camped,  and 
remained  one  day,  the  i2th.  The  men  made  good  use  of 
their  time  inquiring  after  their  wounded  comrades,  of  whom 
they  found  the  Union  people  of  the  place  had  taken  the  best 
of  care.  No  place  in  Virginia  contained  better  or  truer 
loyal  women  than  Martinsburg.  Many  of  our  men  had 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  125 

also  left  clothes,  and  other  property,  in  charge  of  Union 
people,  upon  their  setting  out  for  Lynchburg,  in  the  spring. 
It  was  all  safe  for  them,  notwithstanding  Early's  army  had 
ransacked  nearly  every  house,  in  search  of  property  they 
knew  had  been  left  and  sent  back  there  by  the  army  of 
Sigel  and  Hunter.  We  were,  besides,  given  a  fine  reception 
by  the  citizens  of  the  place,  for  the  n6th  was  a  favorite 
regiment  when  stationed  there.  The  officers  and  men  were 
invited  to  meals,  and  many  a  barefooted  lad  was  shod  and 
given  clean  under-clothes,  gifts  that  in  their  needy  condition 
were  priceless.  Flags  were  displayed  everywhere,  and, 
generally,  everything  done  that  could  show  satisfaction  and 
rejoicing  over  our  return.  Several  of  our  convalescent  men 
joined  us  here,  some  of  whom  had  been  hidden  for  a  long 
time  from  the  rebel  raiders,  by  the  Union  people  of  Mar- 
tinsburg  and  the  surrounding  country. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

EARLY    IN    THE    VALLEY HIS    ADVANCE     INTO    MARYLAND, 

AND  UPON  WASHINGTON MARCH  TO  HARPER'S  FERRY- 
TO  HILLSBORO  —  SNICKER'S  GAP  —  BATTLE  OF  SNICKER'S 

FERRY WOUNDING     OF     COLONEL      WASHBURN  —  HARD 

FIGHT   OF    THE    REGIMENT    ON    THE    RIGHT- — BRAVE  CON 
DUCT  OF  OFFICERS  AND  MEN LIST  OF  CASUALTIES. 

We  felt  at  home,  and  we  were  at  home,  and  among 
friends  tried  and  true  at  Martinsburg,  and  nothing  would 
have  given  us  so  much  unalloyed  happiness  as  to  have  been 
allowed  to  remain  there  until  refreshed,  clothed  and  rested, 
but  this  could  not  be,  with  a  rebel  army  knocking  at  the 
gates  of  the  capitol  of  the  Nation,  for  on  that  very  day,  the 
1 2th  of  July,  Early's  skirmishers  were  immediately  in  front 
of  forts  Stevens  and  De  Russey,  four  miles  north  of  the 
city  of  Washington,  and  as  a  historian  says  :  "Toward  eve 
ning  their  sharpshooters  became  so  annoying,  and  their 
audacity  so  humiliating,  that  General  Augur  dispatched  a 
brigade  of  veterans,  by  the  Seventh  street  road,  to  drive 
them  off."  So  we  received  orders,  in  the  evening,  to  be 
ready  to  march  early  next  morning,  and,  as  directed,  we 
were  early  on  the  road  to  Harper's  Ferry,  which  we  reached 
on  the  1 4th,  and  at  once  crossed  over  to  Sandy  Hook.  Just 
as  our  Quarter  Master  was  about  to  commence  issuing  ra 
tions  on  the  1 5th,  we  were  ordered  to  march.  Most  of  our 
men  were,  by  this  time,  nearly,  or  entirely  bare-footed,  and 
the  prospect  of  entering  upon  another  long  march  with  bare, 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  127 

sore  feet,  was  not  calculated  to  inspire  them  with  any  great 
degree  of  enthusiasm.  Some  we  had  to  leave,  their-  feet 
being  in  too  terrible  a  condition  to  move  further.  At  Berlin 
we  forded  the  Potomac  and  pushed  rapidly  up  the  Loudon 
valley,  camping  at  Hillsboro. 

A  strange  lack  of  information  seemed  to  exist  on  the  part 
of  everyone  relative  to  the  situation  of  our  own  troops  or 
that  of  the  rebels.  General  Wright,  with  parts  of  the  Sixth 
and  Nineteenth  corps,  numbering  15,000  men,  arrived  at 
Poolesville,  on  the  evening  of  the  i4th.  That  night  he  no 
tified  General  Hunter  of  his  presence  and  directed  him  to 
join  him  with  his  forces  as  soon  as  possible,  at  Leesburg. 
At  6  P.  M.  he  telegraphed  Halleck  :  "  I  have  not  been  able 
to  get  any  intelligence  from  General  Hunter's  command." 
Early  the  next  morning  Hunter  started  his  troops  under 
General  Sullivan  at  Leesburg.  When  we  reached  Hills 
boro  we  found  ourselves  on  the  flank  of  Early's  army,  now 
hastening  through  Leesburg  and  Purcelville,  but  we  could 
get  no  word  of  Wright's  whereabouts,  and  so,  although  we 
had  an  excellent  opportunity  to  crush  Early's  army,  if  there 
had  been  an  understanding  of  the  situation,  and  co-opera 
tion  between  Hunter  and  Wright,  we  were  obliged  to  halt 
and  allow  the  rebel  army  to  pass  across  our  front  almost 
unmolested,  for  Wright  did  not  proceed  to  Leesburg  at  all 
in  pursuit  of  Lee,  but  lay  at  Poolesville  until  the  afternoon 
of  the  1 6th,  when  he  crossed  the  Potomac  at  Edwards' 
Ferry.  "  Comparison  of  dates  and  places  shows  that  these 
West  Virginia  forces  were  now  coming  in  directly  and  very 
fast  upon  Early's  right  flank,  and  that,  had  it  been  wise  to 
do  so,  they  might  have  been  thrown  exactly  across  his  path  ; 
but  the  night  of  the  i5th,  while  Sullivan  was  at  Hillsboro, 
Wright  was  at  Poolesville,  Md.,  north  of  the  Potomac. 
Had  Wright  and  Sullivan  possessed  a  common  understand 
ing  for  vigorous  action  in  the  best  possible  way,  the  former 
close  on  Early's  heels  with  15,000  men,  and  Ricketts  and 


128  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

Kerby  hurrying  forward  with  several  thousand  more,  Sulli 
van  and  Duffie  would  apparently  have  been  able  to  use  their 
9,000  men  with  great  effect  against  Early's  line  of  march 
from  Leesburg  to  Snicker's  Gap."-  -  The  Shenamloah  Valley 
in  1864. 

We  lay  at  Hillsboro  until  the  afternoon  of  the  i6th. 
General  Crook  came  up  at  noon  of  that  day,  and,  relieving 
Sullivan,  assumed  command.  He  at  once  set  everthing  in 
motion.  His  cavalry  was  sent  out  to  find  the  enemy,  and, 
hearing  there  was  a  rebel  train  at  Waterford,  our  brigade 
was  sent  off,  in  haste,  to  that  place.  Arriving  there,  we  found 
the  rebels  gone  with  their  trains  in  the  direction  of  Snick 
er's  Gap.  The  soldiers  were  surprised  at  the  Union  senti 
ment  expressed  by  the  people  here.  It  was  very  hot,  and 
our  men  called  for  water  as  they  marched  rapidly  through 
the  place.  Very  soon  many  women  and  children  came  along 
the  marching  column  with  buckets  and  pitchers  of  water, 
which  they  dipped  out  to  the  men.  Flags  were  also  thick 
ly  displayed.  Crook's  energy  soon  discovered  the  fact  that 
Early's  columns  and  trains  had  been  for  several  hours  very 
close  to  his  command.  The  infantry  was  that  afternoon 
moved  to  Purcelville,  where,  just  before  our  arrival,  Duffie 
had  struck  the  rebel  trains  and  captured  117  mules  and 
horses,  82  wagons,  and  50  or  60  prisoners.  That  night  the 
forces  of  Wright  and  Crook  came  together  just  in  time  to 
let  Early,  with  all  his  plunder,  slip  through  between  them. 
Mulligan  and  Duffie  were  sent  forward  to  Snicker's  Gap 
that  night,  \vhere  they  met  the  enemy  in  possession  of  the 
Gap,  the  whole  rebel  army  having  crossed  into  the  Shen- 
andoah  valley. 

We  lay  at  Purcelville  during  the  i7th.  On  the  morning 
of  the  1 8th,  we  advanced  through  Snicker's  Gap  to  the 
Ferry.  About  2  o'clock,  General  Crook  directed  Colonel 
Thoburn  to  cross  the  Shenandoah  river  at  Island  Ford  with 
his  two  brigades  and  the  third  brigade  of  the  second  divis- 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  129 

ion.  Our  brigade  was  the  first  to  cross,  which  we  did  un 
der  a  severe  fire  from  some  rebel  skirmishers,  who  were  un 
der  cover  of  bushes  skirting  the  west  bank  of  the  river.  On 
crossing  we  captured  a  rebel  captain  and  fifteen  men.  We 
learned  from  these  prisoners  that  Early 's  whole  force  was 
close  by.  The  other  two  brigades  soon  crossed,  and  Tho- 
burn  forming  with  the  ist,  our  brigade,  on  the  left;  the  3d 
in  the  centre,  and  the  2d,  with  about  1,000  cavalry,  on  the 
right,  moved  forward  to  a  position  a  short  distance  from  the 
river.  Companies  B,  C,  D  and  K  of  our  regiment  were 
put  out  as  skirmishers,  and  advanced  under  Lieutenant  Col 
onel  Wildes  in  search  of  the  enemy.  We  did  not  have  to 
search  very  long.  Breckenridge,  with  two  divisions,  ad 
vanced  against  Thoburn's  left  and  centre,  and  Rhodes  against 
his  right,  pushing  the  whole  line  back  to  the  cover  of  a 
stone  wall  along  the  bank  of  the  river.  The  1,000  dis 
mounted  cavalry  on  our  right  broke  in  confusion  and  re 
treated  across  the  river,  when  our  regiment,  on  the  extreme 
left,  was  hurried  to  the  extreme  right.  We  found  on  our 
arrival  a  large  body  of  rebels  between  the  stone  wall  and 
the  river,  bearing  down  heavily  on  the  right  of  our  posi 
tion,  and  the  gallant  4th  West  Virginia  fighting  to  maintain 
its  position  against  desperate  odds.  Colonel  Washburn  fell 
desperately  wounded  at  the  head  of  the  regiment,  just  as 
he  reached  the  right.  Hurrying  forward  and  assuming 
command  of  the  regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes  sta 
tioned  two  companies  under  Captain  Mallory  between  the 
wall  and  the  river.  They  charged  and  drove  back  the  reb 
els,  who  had  been  so  closely  pressing  Colonel  Vance.  Now 
hastily  throwing  up  a  breastwork  of  stones  and  logs  across 
this  space,  the  Captain  opened  a  deadly  fire  upon  the  rebels 
in  his  front,  and  drove  them  out.  The  rest  of  the  regiment 
as  effectually  opened  on  those  in  front  of  the  stone  wall. 
At  this  juncture  Sergeant  Silas  King,  of  Company  F,  was 
sent  with  ten  men,  still  further  to  the  right,  to  command  the 


130  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

opposite  side  of  a  stone  wall  running  at  right  angles  with 
ours,  behind  which  the  rebels  were  gathering  to  fire  on  our 
flank.  The  gallant  sergeant  and  his  men,  after  a  hot  con 
test,  cleared  the  rebels  out  from  behind  this  wall,  killing  and 
wounding  some  of  them  almost  within  the  length  of  some 
of  their  guns,  the  other  side  of  the  river  wall.  Sergeant 
King's  splendid  conduct  on  this  occasion  won  him  the  praise 
of  his  superior  officers,  and  the  confidence  of  everybody  in 
his  courage  and  coolness.  He  exhibited  ability  to  com 
mand  and  determination  and  daring  bravery  not  often  met 
with  in  the  rank  and  file.  Thus  our  front  and  flank  were 
relieved  and  we  were  secure  in  our  position.  In  a  letter  I 
wrote  on  the  ipth  of  July,  1864,  from  Snicker's  Ferry,  I 
find  the  following  :  "  Our  regiment  held  the  extreme  right 
of  the  line  and  successfully  resisted  several  desperate  efforts 
of  the  rebels  to  turn  it  and  flank  us.  Captain  Mallory, 
Lieutenant  Moseley,  Lieutenant  Bidenharn,  Lieutenant  Mar 
tin,  and  Sergeants  King  and  Humphrey,  of  the  regiment, 
fought  with  as  much  daring  bravery  as  1  ever  saw.  The 
officers  and  men  of  the  regiment  never  behaved  better." 
Soon  the  rebels  returned  again  to  the  charge,  but  we  were 
prepared  for  them.  Every  man  in  the  two  regiments  felt 
that  in  driving  that  column  of  rebels  back  depended  his  life. 
The  river  at  our  back  was  too  deep  to  more  than  walk 
slowly  through,  and  so  escape  that  way  was  out  of  the 
question.  Run  we  could  not,  if  we  would.  Nothing  was 
left  to  do  but  to  fight.  Every  officer  and  man  but  one 
met  the  shock  manfully.  In  the  hottest  of  the  fight  a  por 
tion  of  Mallory's  heroes  came  to  our  assistance,  and  under 
the  fresh  volleys  they  added  to  ours,  the  rebels  broke  over 
the  hill,  not  to  return  again  while  we  lay  behind  that  stone 
wall.  The  cheer  that  went  up  from  our  men,  as  they  saw 
the  rebels  break  over  the  hill,  indicated  the  relief  they  felt 
and  the  value  they  placed  upon  the  victory  they  had  won. 
Colonel  Thoburn  was  with  us,  urging  the  men  to  stand  their 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

ground.  He  was  the  coolest  man  on  the  field.  The  men 
needed  no  urging,  for  every  man  regarded  he  was  fighting 
for  his  life.  At  the  moment  the  rebels  fell  back  this  time, 
heavy  cannonading  opened  from  the  other  side  of  the  river. 
Looking  around  no\v  for  the  first  time  since  the  battle 
opened,  we  saw  the  long  lines  of  the  Sixth  Corps  drawn  up 
on  the  mountain's  side  and  in  the  fields  at  its  foot.  For 
some  time  the  enemy  had  been  endeavoring  to  plant  artil 
lery  to  command  our  stone  wall.  Had  they  succeeded  in 
this,  it  would  have  gone  hard  with  us.  But  ours  on  the  op 
posite  side  of  the  river  being  on  higher  ground,  soon  drove 
off  the  guns  of  the  enemy,  and  now  began  giving  atten 
tion  to  the  rebel  infantry.  The  lines  were  so  close  to  each 
other  that  some  damage  was  done  to  our  own  men  by  shells 
from  our  batteries.  But  they  kept  the  rebels  discreetly  un 
der  cover,  and  from  this  time,  an  hour  before  dark,  only  de 
sultory  firing  took  place.  We  dare  not  retreat,  however, 
as  long  as  that  rebel  line  lay  in  our  front,  unless  under  cover 
of  the  darkness.  It  was  long  after  dark,  when  we  began  to 
cross  the  river  from  our  position  on  the  right,  and  we  made 
the  crossing  without  being  discovered,  or,  at  least,  without 
being  followed  or  fired  upon,  while  some  regiments  further 
to  the  left,  while  crossing  earlier,  met  with  considerable 
loss  by  being  followed  and  fired  upon  in  the  river.  We  car 
ried  over  all  our  wounded.  I  never  read  of  a  battle  in  which 
so  many  different  regiments  claimed  to  be  the  "  last  to  leave 
the  field  "  Lieutenant  Keyes,  in  his  history  of  the  i2^d 
Ohio,  says  :  "  Our  regiment  and  the  34th  Massachusetts, 
than  which  there  was  no  braver  nor  more  gallant  regiment 
in  the  service,  were  left  to  protect  the  rear,  and,  of  course, 
were  the  last  to  effect  the  crossing."  Chaplain  W.  C. 
Walker,  of  the  i8th  Connecticut,  is  quoted  in  "  The  Mili 
tary  and  Civil  History  of  Connecticut  in  the  War  of  1861- 
65  "  as  saying  :  "  The  Eighteenth  (Conn.)  held  its  position 
on  the  right  until  flanked,  and  was  the  last  regiment  to  re- 


132  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 

cross."  Every  officer  and  man  in  our  regiment  and  in  the 
4th  West  Virginia  knows  that  the  i8th  Connecticut  was  not 
on  that  flank  when  we  retired,  and  they  know,  further,  that 
our  regiment  was  on  the  extreme  right,  for  over  an  hour, 
before  the  close  of  the  battle,  and  that  the  4th  West  Virginia 
was  closed  on  our  left  all  that  time,  and  that  when  we  re 
tired  no  troops  remained  on  that  flank.  And  we  all  know, 
too,  that  we  wrere  not  flanked,  but  held  our  position  till  we 
were  ordered  to  retire,  after  dark.  But  we  leave  these  va 
rious  claimants  to  settle  their  disputes  with  the  remark  that 
we  all  know  the  i8th  Connecticut  was  not  on  the  right 
wrhen  we  fell  back  across  the  river,  and  that,  as  to  the  34th 
Massachusetts  and  i23d  Ohio,  they  were  on,  or  towards,  the 
left,  and  no  one  on  our  end  of  the  line  can  know  when  they 
fell  back,  and,  regarding  it  unimportant  which  is  right,  we 
pass  on. 

Though  the  righting  was  very  desperate,  our  loss  was 
comparatively  small,  owing,  of  course,  to  the  excellent  pro 
tection  afforded  us  by  those  friendly  stone  walls.  The  fol 
lowing  is  a  list  of  our  killed  and  wounded  in  the  battle  of 
Snicker's  Ferry,  which  should  be  called  the  battle  of  Island 
Ford: 

KILLED. 

Samuel  L.  Hayes,  Company  B;  Joshna  Farley,  Company  G;  William  Stoneman, 
Company  I;  George  Lamp,  Company  H— 4. 

WOUNDED. 

Colonel  James  Washburn,  severely  in  the  head;  Sergeant  James  Hunter,  Company 
A,  severely,  head;  Sergeant  Edgar  Humphrey,  Company  I,  severely,  neck;  Privates 
James  Saxton,  Company  G,  severely,  neck  ;  Joel  B.  Cummins,  Company  G,  severely, 
shoulder;  Samuel  Dobbins,  Company  C  severely,  side;  James  McElroy,  Company  B, 
severely,  thigh  ;  E.  S.  Clithero,  Company  D,  severely,  leg;  Leander  Eddy.  Company  A, 
severely,  leg;  and  Francis  M.  Byers,  Company  1,  severely,  leg — 10. 

The  4th  West  Virginia  lost  one-third  its  number  killed 
and  wounded,  mostly,  before  our  arrival.  Why  the  6th  and 
ipth  corps  did  not  come  to  our  assistance,  can  only  be  ex 
plained  on  the  hypothesis,  that  it  was  not  thought  desirable 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  133 

to  bring  on  a  general  engagement  at  that  place,  and  at  that 
time.  As  we  passed  through  the  ranks  of  the  6th  corps, 
after  falling  back,  the  men  frequently  said  to  us :  "  We 
wanted  to  go  over  and  help  you  but  they  wouldn't  let  us." 
"As  General  Ricketts,  commanding  the  6th  corps,  did  not 
think  it  prudent,  under  the  circumstances,  to  cross  his  men, 
and  as  the  enemy  were  preparing  for  another  attack  on  my 
line,  I  gave  the  the  order  to  fall  back,  which  was  done  in 
good  order." — -General  Crook's  report,  Oct.  12,  1864.. 

We  again  lost  several  good  men  killed  and  wounded. 
All  the  killed  were  choice  men.  Samuel  L.  Hayes  was  a 
beautiful  young  boy,  only  eighteen  years  of  age,  whom 
everybody  loved.  He  was  killed  on  the  skirmish  line  and 
his  body  carried  back  by  his  comrades.  George  Lamp,  of 
Company  H,  was  another  fine  boy  of  the  same  age.  Wil 
liam  Stoneman  was  one  of  the  very  best  men  of  Company  I, 
only  21  years  of  age.  Joshua  Farley,  of  Company  G,  was 
but  24  years  of  age,  an  excellent  soldier  and  a  fine  man. 
His  captain,  H.  L.  Karr,  writes  of  him :  "Joshua  Farley, 
of  Silver  Run,  Meigs  county,  was  as  brave  a  soldier  and  as 
brave  a  patriot  as  ever  shouldered  a  musket  in  defense  of 
his  country.  His  comrades  carefully  and  tenderly  laid  him 
in  a  soldier's  grave,  a  few  feet  from  where  he  fell,  and  Com 
pany  G,  officers  and  men,  never  had  heavier  hearts,  than 
when  they  marched  from  the  grave  of  that  brave  soldier." 

Sergeant  Edgar  Humphrey,  so  badly  wounded,  came 
near  sacrificing  his  life,  on  account  of  a  remark  some  one 
had  carelessly  made  derogatory  to  his  personal  courage. 
Several  times  during  the  battle  he  was  made  to  get  under 
cover  of  the  stone  wall.  He  would  remain  so  for  only  a 
few  minutes,  however,  when  he  would  rise,  and,  standing  in 
plain  view  of  the  rebel  line,  load  and  fire  as  deliberately  and 
coolly,  as  if  engaged  in  target  practice.  I  was  going  to  him 
to  make  him  get  down,  when  he  was  hit  and  fell.  Kneeling 
beside  him  I  saw  he  had  received  a  terrible  wound.  Re- 


134  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

covering  soon  from  the  shock  he  said  in  a  whisper:  "Col 
onel,  I  guess  they  won't  call  me  a  coward  again,  will  they?" 
He  was  too  weak  then  to  talk  more,  but  it  was  afterwards 
learned  that  some  one  had  impugned  his  courage,  and  here 
the  brave  fellow  had  nearly  thrown  his  life  away  in  order  to 
wipe  out  the  cruel  charge.  The  suffering  of  his  terrible 
wround,  or  even  death  itself,  had  no  pangs  compared  to  what 
he  had  silently  suffered,  till  this  opportunity  came  to  repel 
and  refute  the  foul  imputation,  and,  having  done  it,  he  was 
content  to  die,  which  he  and  every  one  else  expected  was 
his  fate.  A  lesson  was  taught,  to  the  whole  regiment,  not  to 
be  too  free  in  the  use  of  such  remarks  about  any  soldier 
thereafter. 

But  the  most  lamentable  casualty  the  regiment  met  with 
was  the  wounding  of  Colonel  Washburn.  Just  as  the  reg 
iment  reached  the  right,  and  before  it  had  been  put  in  posi 
tion,  he  was  shot  in  the  head,  the  ball  entering  the  left  eye 
and  passing  backward  and  downward  through  the  head, 
coming  out  back  of  and  below  the  right  ear.  He  was 
struck  by  a  minnie  ball  at  very  close  range,  and  the  wound 
was  a  frightful  one.  No  one  expected  him  to  live  but  a 
few  minutes.  He  was  conveyed  across  the  river  during  the 
battle,  as  we  thought,  dying.  We  scarcely  hoped  to  find 
him  alive  when  we  crossed  in  the  evening,  but  he  was,  and 
what  was  more,  fullv  conscious  and  able  to  talk.  He  in 
quired  anxiously  how  the  regiment  had  fared,  and  how  it 
had  acquitted  itself.  And  then,  after  expressing  the  belief 
that  he  could  not  live,  gave  his  sword  and  belt,  watch, 
pocket-book,  papers,  letters,  and  other  small  articles,  to 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes,  with  the  request  that  they  be 
sent  to  his  family.  The  surgeons  could  give  no  hope  of  his 
recovery.  The  officers  and  men  of  the  regiment  passed  by 
and  took  his  hand  gently  in  theirs,  many  kissing  it  and 
shedding  tears  as  they  left  his  side,  for  few  officers  were 
more  sincerely  loved  by  their  men  than  Colonel  Washburn 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  135 

was  bv  his.  All  that  night  his  tent  was  surrounded  by  the 
men,  who  refused  to  rest  or  sleep,  while  their  Colonel,  as 
they  supposed,  lay  dying.  Whispered  inquiries  were  made 
by  them  of  surgeons  and  attendants  as  they  passed  in  and 
out,  and  as  the  morning  approached,  some  encouragement 
was  given  out  of  his  ultimate  recovery.  The  surgeons 
claimed  to  have  ascertained  that  no  vital  spot  had  been 
struck,  and  in  the  morning  a  detail  of  strong  men  was  made 
to  carefully  carry  him  to  Harper's  Ferry.  There  he  recov 
ered  rapidly,  and  on  the  26th  of  October  he  visited  the  reg 
iment  at  Cedar  Creek,  when  he  was  given  a  royal  recep- 
*tion.  He  had  reported  by  letter  to  General  Crook  for  duty 
some  time  before  this ;  had,  in  fact,  reported  for  duty  within 
sixty  days  after  he  was  wounded!  He  remained  several 
days  with  the  regiment,  but  did  not  assume  command,  hav 
ing  been  assigned  by  General  Sheridan  as  commandant  of 
the  Post  at  Wheeling,  West  Virginia.  During  his  visit, 
which  was  alike  pleasant  to  himself  and  the  regiment,  the 
following  circular  was  issued  and  read  upon  the  first  dress 
parade  the  regiment  had  indulged  in  since  May,  and  which 
was  held  wholly  in  his  honor: 

HEADQUARTERS  HGiHOmo  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY,     \ 
(CIRCULAR.)  CEDAR  CREEK,  VA.,  Oct.  30,  1864.  | 

The  Colonel  of  the  regiment  embraces  this  opportunity  of  tendering  his  thanks  to, 
and  expressing  his  pride  in,  the  brave  officers  :ind  men  of  the  llfith  regiment.  On  ac 
count  of  a  severe  wound  he  received  at  Snicker's  Ferry  in  July  last,  he  has  not  b^en 
with  you  throughout  the  entire  campaign,  but  he  feels  proud  to  say  that  he  belongs  to  a 
regiment  which  has  bravely  withstood,  in  the  memorable  campaign  just  closed,  all  the 
hardships,  privations  and  perils  of  the  march,  the  bivouac  and  the  battle  field.  While 
it  was  his  honored  privilege  to  lead  you,  he  ever  found  you  ready  to  obey  orders';  since 
he  has  been  separated  from  you  he  has  anxiously  and  proudly  watched  your  move 
ments.  In  three  of  the  most  stubbornly  fought  battles  of  the  summer,  he  has  found 
you  always  where  duty  called  you,  and  where  good  soldiers  ought  to  he,  and  he  has 
heard  only  unstinted  praise  of  your  conduct.  You  have  made  for  your  regiment  a  name 
and  a  tame  that  will  outlive  you  all,  and  to  which  your  children,  and  your  children's 
children  will  point  with  pride  in  the  years  of  the  future. 

JAMES  WASHBURN,  Colonel. 

Officers  and  men  of  the  llGt/i : 

In  your  behalf  I  know  I  may  8ay  that  our  Colonel's  very  flattering  opinion  of  his 
command  is  reciprocated ;  that  no  expression  of  his  esteem  for  you  is  too  strong  to  rep 
resent  your  regard  for  him,  and  when  I  assure  him  that  you  are  as  proud  of  his  brave 


136  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

leadership  as  he  is  of  your  prowess,  I  know  I  express  the  honest  sentiment  of  every, 
member  of  the  regiment.  He  is  esteemed  by  us  all  as  well  worthy  to  be  the  leader  of 
such  men  as  his  pardonable  partiality  pronounces  you  to  be.  It  is  with  sore  regret  that 
I  have  to  announce  to  you  that  his  surgeons  and  superior  officers  regard  his  fearful 
wound  as  having  unfitted  him  for  active  duty  with  you  in  the  field,  and  that  lie  is  soon 
to  leave  us  to  engage  in  other  less  severe  and  hazardous,  though  equally  honorable 
and  responsible  duties.  To  these  duties  let  us  one  and  all  assure  him  that  he  carries 
our  love  and  best  wishes,  and  that  he  is  followed  with  the  earnest  hope  of  a  speedy  re 
turn  to  his  beloved  regiment. 

WILBERT  B.  TETERS,  Captain  Commanding  Regiment. 

Colonel  Washburn  never  sufficiently  recovered  to  join 
his  regiment,  and,  of  course,  he  could  never  entirely  recover 
from  such  a  wound.  Its  lasting  effects  are  seen  in  the  loss 
of  his  left  eye,  partial  paralysis  of  one  side  of  his  face,  partial 
loss  of  speech,  and  a  general  breaking  down  of  his  constitu 
tion.  Doubtless  it  has  shortened  his  life,  which  it  has  made 
a  suffering  one,  until  the  end  comes.  Colonel  Washburn 
possessed  great  personal  courage.  He  was  a  leader  of  men 
and  not  a  follower.  He  was  bluff,  frank  and  determined, 
but  too  kind-hearted  to  be  a  good  disciplinarian.  If  an 
officer  or  man  did  anything  calling  down  upon  him  the  pen 
alties  of  the  "  Rules  and  Articles  of  War,"  he  hardly  ever 
held  out  until  punishment  followed,  but,  as  the  boys  used  to 
say,  "the  old  Colonel  would  let  up."  He  was  a  man  whom 
patriotism  had  made  a  soldier.  His  principles  were  the  out 
growth  of  deep-seated  convictions,  and  his  whole  army  life 
was  alike  honorable  and  creditable  to  himself  and  his  coun 
try.  He  was  in  the  army,  not  for  the  glory  or  renown  of 
war,  but  from  a  sense  of  duty  to  his  country,  and  he  fought 
as  bravely  and  suffered  as  heroically  for  it  as  any  man  ever 
did. 

From  the  noble  Colonel  Washburn  we  recur  for  a 
moment  to  an  officer  of  the  regiment  who  behaved  in  a 
most  cowardly  manner  in  the  battle  of  Snicker's  Ferry. 
This  is  the  same  officer  whose  misconduct  caused  the  cap 
ture  of  fifty  men  and  a  forage  train,  while  we  were  stationed 
at  Romney.  He  had  acted  badly  at  Piedmont  and  Lynch- 
burg,  and  now  his  peremptory  dismissal  from  the  service 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  137 

was  recommended  by  his  regimental,  brigade,  division,  corps 
and  army  commanders,  and  on  the  pth  of  August,  the  order 
of  the  War  Department  arrived  dismissing  Captain  Mathew 
F.  Brown  from  the  service.  We  had  no  time  for  courts- 
martial  in  those  days,  especially  when  an  officer  was  guilty 
of  cowardice.  The  captain,  himself,  explained  hjs  dismissal 
by  saying  it  was  because  he  "couldn't  swallow  the  nigger 
without  grease."  The  example  of  such  men  was  intoler 
ably  demoralizing,  and  Secretary  Staunton  made  short  work 
of  them,  by  arbitrarily  and  peremptorily  dismissing  them 
from  the  service.  Captain  Brown's  dismissal  placed  com- 
panv  F  in  command  of  Lieutenant  Wilson  F.  Martin,  a 
brave  and  efficient  officer,  who,  it  ought  to  be  said  for  the 
credit  of  the  company,  never  faltered  himself,  nor  allowed 
the  company  to  falter  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy. 

A  word,  before  passing  on,  regarding  the  characteristic 
injustice  of  General  Halleck.  General  Hunter  had  scarcely 
returned  to  the  Valley  from  Lynchburg,  before  Halleck 
began  a  system  of  persecution  and  ill-usage  toward  him, 
which  finally  culminated,  on  the  i4th,  in  Hunter's  asking  to 
be  relieved  from  command.  Hearing  nothing  from  this  re 
quest,  the  next  day  he  wrote  to  President  Lincoln,  renewing 
his  request  to  be  relieved,  and  adding:  "When  an  officer 
is  selected  as  the  scape  goat  to  cover  up  the  blunders  of 
others,  the  best  interests  of  the  country  require  that  he 
should  at  once  be  relieved  from  command."  There  had 
been  a  disposition  at  the  War  Office  to  cast  the  whole 
blame,  for  all  the  mischief  done  by  Early,  on  Hunter.  The 
case  was  a  bad  one,  and  Halleck's  instinct  for  shirking  re 
sponsibility,  and  capacity  to  do  any  one  he  did  not  like  an 
injury,  soon  selected  Hunter  as  a  "scape  goat."  But  the 
crowd  who  were  bearing  down  on  Hunter,  received  a  most 
deserving  rebuke  from  General  Grant,  in  a  letter  he  wrote 
to  the  War  Office  on  the  i5th.  Its  strong  language  is  un 
usual  for  Grant,  and  for  that  reason  shows  the  more  forci- 


138  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

bly  the  injustice  he  felt  was  being  done  to  Hunter,  and  the 
directness  with  which  he  aimed  his  rebuke  at  the  authors  of 
the  injustice,  left  no  conjecture  as  to  what  he  meant.  He 
wrote:  "I  am  sorry  to  see  such  a  disposition  to  condemn 
as  brave  an  old  soldier  as  Hunter  is  known  to  be,  without  a 
hearing.  He  is  known  to  have  advanced  into  the  enemy's 
country  toward  their  main  army,  inflicting  much  greater 
damage  upon  them  than  they  have  upon  us,  with  double 
his  force,  and  moving  directly  away  from  our  main  army. 
Hunter  acted,  too,  in  a  country  where  he  had  no  friends. 
*  *  *  Even  the  enemy  gives  him  credit  for  courage, 
and  congratulate  themselves  that  he  will  yet  give  them  a 
chance  of  getting  even  with  him."  President  Lincoln  wrote 
a  conciliatory  letter  to  Hunter,  saying,  among  other  things: 
"  General  Grant  wishes  you  to  remain  in  command  of  the 
Department,  and  I  do  not  wish  to  order  otherwise."  It  was 
a  most  unfortunate  and  inopportune  time  for  Halleck  to  in 
augurate  one  of  his  quarrels,  but  it  was  fortunate  that 
Grant's  strong  sense  of  justice  was  at  hand  to  at  once  re 
buke  and  stop  it.  But  now  Halleck  sulked,  and  it  was  an 
nounced  by  Dana  to  Grant:  "General  Halleck  will  not 
give  orders,  except  as  he  receives  them.*'  The  result  was 
seen  in  the  blundering  and  blind  pursuit  of  Early,  by  Wright 
from  Washington,  and  Hunter  from  Harper's  Ferry.  With 
the  two  armies  of  Wright  and  Hunter  within  fifteen  miles 
of  each  other,  the  one  in  Early's  rear  at  Poolesville,  and  the 
other  on  his  flank  at  Hillsboro,  neither  knew  of  the  other's 
position  during  a  whole  day,  and  neither  would  move  on 
the  enemy,  because  Halleck  received  no  orders  to  move 
from  Grant  at  City  Point.  Thus  that  campaign,  ending  at 
Island  Ford,  was  managed.  The  evil  genius  of  Halleck 
hovered  over  it,  with  an  eye  single  to  the  defeat  and  dis 
comfiture  of  Hunter,  whose  success  would  have  been  his 
defeat  and  chagrin,  and  hence  the  worst  handled  and  most 
fruitless  campaign  of  the  war. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  139 

But  still  another  blunder  is  to  be  added  to  this  chapter 
of  blunders.  Thinking  the  6th,  ipth  and  our  corps  were  in 
possession  of  the  vicinity  of  Snicker's  Ferry,  General  Hunter 
started  Colonel  R.  B.  Hayes,  with  his  brigade  and  two  guns, 
on  the  ipth,  to  escort  a  provision  train  from  Harper's  Ferry 
to  the  army.  Hayes  was  met  at  Kabletown  with  a  large 
body  of  the  enemy,  and  it  was  due  more  to  his  skill  and 
good  management  that  his  train  was  not  delivered  to  Early, 
than  it  was  to  the  knowledge,  of  any  one  then  in  command, 
of  the  strength,  or  \vhereabouts  of  either  the  enemy  or  our 
own  troops.  As  it  was,  Hayes  was  moving  his  train  in  the 
presence  of  Early's  whole  army. 

On  the  next  day,  the  2Oth,  General  Averill  and  Colonel 
Duvall  met  with  a  victory  at  Carter's  Farm,  near  Stephen- 
son's  Depot,  which,  according  to  rebel  accounts,  was  wholly 
owing  to  a  "blunder"  on  their  part.  If  it  was,  it  compen 
sated  somewhat  for  the  blunders  on  our  side  during  the 
past  few  days.  The  rebel  accounts  say  that  three  miles 
north  of  Winchester,  on  Carter's  Farm,  Ramseur  was  en 
countered  moving  by  the  flank,  intent  on  capturing  Averill. 
Ramseur  supposed,  from  Vaughn's  reconnoisance  of  the  day, 
before,  that  there  were  but  two  or  three  regiments  in  his 
front,  which  caused  him  to  advance  with  too  little  precau 
tion,  and  thrown  into  confusion,  the  troops  could  not  be  ral 
lied."  The  result  was  a  splendid  victory  for  Averill  and 
Duvall,  in  which  they  captured  250  prisoners  and  four 
pieces  of  artillery,  besides  killing  and  wounding  over  200  of 
the  enemv. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

TO  WINCHESTER BATTLE    OF    KERNTOWN LIST   OF   CASU 
ALTIES RE  TREAT  —  REPORT  OF  GENERAL  CROOK AT 

HARPER'S    FERRY  AGAIN  —  A   HOT,   HARD  MARCH  —  AT 

MONOCACY    JUNCTION BACK    TO   BOLIVAR   HEIGHTS  — 

ARRIVAL  OF  GENERAL  P.  H.  SHERIDAN,  6TH  AND  IpTH 
CORPS  AND  TORBERT'S  CAVALRY  —  DAWN  OF  A  NEW  ERA 
IN  THE  VALLEY. 

On  the  next  day  after  the  battle  of  Snicker's  Ferry,  the 
6th  and  ipth  corps  moved  off  in  the  direction  of  Washing 
ton,  and  the  day  after  their  departure,  our  division  crossed 
the  Shenandoah  at  Snicker's  Ferry  and  went  into  camp 
where  we  remained  until  the  2ist,  when  we  started  for 
Winchester.  Arriving  there  our  regiment  camped  on  the 
same  ground  we  occupied  when  on  our  way  up  the  valley 
in  the  spring  under  General  Sigel.  We  here  joined  the 
second  division  under  Colonel  Duvall.  In  the  forenoon  of 
the  23d  our  brigade  of  the  first  division  and  Hayes'  brigade 
of  the  second  division  went  forward  on  a  reconnoisance,  ad 
vancing  about  two  miles  beyond  Kerntown.  We  met  but 
few  of  the  enemy,  none  till  we  reached  the  vicinity  of  Kern- 
town.  There  we  encountered  a  few  cavalry,  which,  without 
resistance,  retired  as  we  advanced.  We  returned  to  camp 
in  the  afternoon,  rather  glad  the  coast  was  so  clear  of  rebels. 
General  Hayes  says  in  his  report  of  this  reconnoisance: 
"From  what  was  seen  of  the  enemy,  as  well  as  what  could 
be  learned  of  citizens,  it  was  believed  that  the  rebel  force 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  14! 

consisted  of  about  1,000  cavalry,  and  two  or  three  pieces  of 
artillery.  This  was  reported  to  Major  General  Crook  and 
soon  after  the  brigade  was  ordered  to  return"-— General 
Hayes*  report,  Auo\  <?,  1864. 

About  9  o'clock  on  the  24th,  evidence  began  to  thicken 
that  a  strong  body  of  the  enemy  was  gathering  in  our  front, 
and  a  few  brigades  were  again  pushed  forward  beyond 
Kerntown.  Sharp  firing  and  some  cannonading  soon  en 
sued,  when  the  whole  corps,  except  a  strong  train  guard, 
was  brought  up  to  the  line  of  battle.  As  soon  as  the  line 
was  formed  it  advanced  behind  a  strong  skirmish  line,  and 
for  a  time  drove  the  enemy  back.  But  almost  as  soon  as 
the  advance  began,  the  second  division  was  struck  on  its  left 
flank  and  rear  by  an  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy,  and 
another  large  force  was  detected  moving  around  our  right. 
Our  regiment  was  on  the  left  of  oar  division  near  the  pike 
and  was  then  near  the  centre  of  the  line.  Orders  were  at 
once  given  to  fall  back.  Early's  army  of  30,000  was  upon 
our  little  corps  6,000  or  7,000.  The  second  division  was 
fairly  flanked  out  of  its  position,  by  a  force  far  exceeding  it 
in  numbers,  coming  in  far  to  its  rear  and  on  its  left.  Hayes' 
brigade  was  on  the  left,  and,  when  driven  back  covered  the 
retreat  on  the  right  of  the  pike  to  Bunker  Hill,  while  ours 
covered  it  on  the  left.  Hayes  had  his  horse  shot  under  him 
and  was  himself  slightly  wounded  in  the  head.  He  dis 
played  great  gallantry  throughout  this  engagement  and 
handled  his  brigade  with  wonderful  skill.  In  falling  back 
we  came  upon  two  pieces  of  artillery  abandoned  by  our 
cavalry.  The  infantry  halted  and  checked  the  advancing 
enemy,  now  close  upon  us,  long  enough  to  haul  off  the 
pieces,  which  was  done  by  hand  by  a  portion  of  the  36th 
Ohio,  one  of  Hayes'  regiments.  Frequently,  during  the  re 
treat  that  night,  the  enemy  pushed  forward  his  cavalry  with 
great  dash,  but  it  was  every  time  handsomely  repulsed. 
Our  regiment  behaved  splendidly  throughout  the  retreat, 


142  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

scarcely  a  man  straggling  from  his  place.  Indeed,  the  con 
duct  of  the  whole  brigade  during  the  day  and  night  was 
worthy  of  all  praise.  We  made  a  stand  between  9  and  10 
p.  M.  at  Bunker  Hill,  where  we  remained  until  morning. 
We  had  now  a  large  amount  of  army  stores  at  Martinsburg 
which  must  fall  into  the  enemy's  hands,  unless  he  was  held 
back  long  enough  to  give  time  to  remove  them.  How  it 
rained  that  night  at  Bunker  Hill!  Before  daylight  we  were 
under  arms,  and  moving  across  the  creek,  soon  became  en 
gaged  in  a  brisk  skirmish  with  the  enemy,  who  was  now 
pressing  us  hard  with  a  large  force  of  cavalry,  mounted 
and  dismounted,  especially  on  our  left  flank,  which  our 
weak  cavalry  was  unable  to  cover.  We  held  our  position 
at  Bunker  Hill  until  about  9  A.  M.,  when  we  fell  back 
slowly  towards  Martinsburg,  which  we  reached  about  noon, 
skirmishing  all  the  way,  our  regiment  being  rear  guard,  as 
the  night  before.  In  front  of  the  town,  we  again  drew  up 
in  line  of  battle,  and  sending  out  strong  skirmish  lines,  kept 
up  a  brisk  musketry  fire  and  cannonade  until  about  4  P.  M., 
when  we  fell  back  through  the  town,  where  we  again 
halted.  The  stores  had,  in  the  meantime,  been  all  sent  out 
by  rail,  and  our  own  trains  pushed  on  to  Williamsport, 
under  a  strong  guard.  The  rebel  cavalry  occupied  Mar 
tinsburg  as  soon  as  we  evacuated  it.  But  we  were  not  yet 
ready  to  leave,  and  while  it  was  yet  light,  General  Crook, 
with  our  division  and  most  of  the  second,  charged  into  the 
town,  giving  the  rebels  a  genuine  surprise,  and  drove  them 
pell  mell  out  of  the  town  again,  capturing  a  number  of  pris 
oners  and  horses.  Passing  through  to  our  former  position 
the  other  side  of  town,  we  lay  down  in  line  of  battle,  and 
building  a  long  line  of  camp  fires,  soon  fell  back  again  and 
retreated  to  Williamsport,  and  marched  by  way  of  Sharps- 
burg,  Maryland,  to  Harper's  Ferry,  where  we  recrossed  the 
river,  and  camped  at  Halltown,  four  miles  south  of  Harper's 
Ferry,  on  the  28th. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  143 

Hunter  was  not  on  the  field,  but  was  at  Harper's  Ferry. 
Of  the  bad  conduct  of  some  of  the  troops,  teamsters,  etc., 
General  Crook,  in  his  report  of  the  battle,  says:  "Some 
of  my  teamsters  got  stampeded,  and  cut  loose  from  their 
wagons  along  the  road,  but  their  wagons  were  destroyed, 
so  that  nothing  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  I  regret 
to  say  that  the  greater  portion  of  my  dismounted  cavalry, 
along  with  some  infantry,  to  the  whole  number  of  3,000  or 
4,000,  broke  to  the  rear  at  first  fire,  and  all  efforts  to  stop 
them  proved  of  no  avail.  They  mostly  got  into  Martins- 
burg,  circulating  all  manner  of  reports.  A  few  of  them 
were  captured  endeavoring  to  escape  my  guards.  I  lost 
over  one-third  of  my  cavalry  in  this  way." — General  Crootfs 
report,  July  27,  1864. 

This  is  a  sorry  picture  enough,  but  it  is  not  overdrawn. 
This  battle  settled  the  question  that  Early  had  yet  an  over 
whelming  force  in  the  Valley,  compared  to  ours.  It  also 
demonstrated  that  he  had  largely  increased  His  force  of  cav 
alry.  Our  own  teamsters,  Dye  and  McKnight,  always  cool, 
took  their  teams  through  in  good  shape.  Their  example 
had  a  good  effect  upon  others.  There  was  no  such  thing 
as  stampeding  them. 

General  Crook,  in  his  report  of  the  battle,  says:  "I 
have  the  honor  to  report  that  on  the  24th  instant  I  was  at 
tacked  by  a  large  force  of  the  enemy  at  Winchester.  I  re 
pulsed  their  force  twice,  and  was  driving  them,  when  they 
partially  turned  my  left,  and  threwr  it  into  some  confusion. 
At  the  same  time  a  heavy  column  was  moving  around  my 
right,  and  I  gave  the  order  to  fall  back.  My  left  soon  re 
formed,  and  my  whole  line  re-formed  in  good  order,  the 
enemy  pushing  both  my  flanks  and  center  all  the  time.  I 
got  off  all  my  artillery  and  wagons.  *  *  *  I  fell  back 
to  Bunker  Hill,  arriving  there  between  9  and  10  o'clock 
p.  M.,  part  of  the  enemy's  force  camping  within  two  miles  of 
me.  Next  morning  the  enemy's  cavalry  pressed  my  front 


144  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 

and  commenced  turning  my  flank,  and,  as  I  had  not  suffici 
ent  cavalry  to  ascertain  whether  his  infantry  was  trying  to 
turn  my  position,  I  fell  back  on  Martinsburg.  I  skirmished 
with  them  almost  all  day,  they  making  demonstrations  to 
turn  my  flanks.  Toward  evening  I  fell  back  toward  Wil- 
liamsport,  when  the  enemy  followed  me  into  town.  Sup 
posing  they  would  tell  the  inhabitants  all  about  their  force, 
intentions,  etc.,  I  turned  my  column  back,  drove  them  out  of 
town,  and  captured  a  few  prisoners.  From  all  the  reliable 
information  I  could  get,  the  force  that  attacked  me  was 
Early's  raiding  force,  joined  by  the  force  left  in  the  Valley 
when  he  went  into  Maryland."  •  *  *  *  "I  would  also 
state  the  enemy  has  increased  his  force  of  cavalry,  in  the 
Valley,  very  materially."-—  General  Crooks  report,  July  27, 
1864. 

The  loss  of  our  regiment  was  one  killed  —  Benjamin  G. 
Patterson,  Company  B,  a  few  slightly  wounded,  whose 
names  we  have  been  unable  to  learn,  and  eight  prisoners, 
as  follows:  Corporal  Peter  Wolf,  Company  B;  William 
Ball,  Company  B;  John  Cole,  Company  B;  Willard  Reed, 
Company  B ;  Corporal  Wesley  Mickle,  Company  I ;  George 
Bates,  Company  I ;  Albert  Woodruff,  Company  I :  William 
Clark,  Company  K. 

The  defeat  at  Kerntown  was  complete  and  demoraliz 
ing.  The  dismounted  cavalry  which  broke  so  shamefully  at 
Snicker's  Ferry,  repeated  the  performance  here,  and  some 
regiments  of  infantry,  and  much  of  the  cavalry,  did  not 
behave  much  better,  but  \ve  are  glad  to  state  that  none  of 
the  troops  with  Hunter,  on  the  Lynchburg  expedition, 
proved  unsteady!  Early  had  sent  large  bodies  of  cavalry 
around  our  flanks  for  the  purpose  of  getting  in  our  rear  and 
attacking  our  trains.  The  body  of  cavalry,  sent  around  the 
left,  struck  the  pike  some  distance  below  Winchester,  stam 
peding  some  of  the  teamsters,  and  causing  some  wagons 
and  caissons  to  be  abandoned  and  burned.  It  was  here  that 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  145 

an  artillery  officer  cut  loose  his  horses  and  abandoned  the 
two  guns  mentioned  as  hauled  off  by  the  infantry.  "  It  was 
owing  to  the  steadiness  and  good  conduct  of  the  infantry 
which  came  with  us  from  the'  Kana\vha,  that  the  army  was 
saved  from  annihilation."-—  General  Hunters  report  to  Gen 
eral  Halleck. 

We  were  no\v  pretty  sick  of  this  sort  of  campaigning. 
If  the  pursuit  of  Early,  in  the  Loudon  Valley,  was  unskillful, 
this  pursuit,  in  the  Shenandoah,  was  incautious  and  reckless. 
With  the  knowledge  that  the  6th  and  ipth  corps  had  re 
turned  to  Washington,  greater  caution  should  have  been 
exercised  in  following  Early,  for,  as  soon  as  he  learned  of 
their  departure,  it  might  reasonably  have  been  expected 
that  he  would  return  down  the  Valley,  unless  some  of  his 
force  had  also  been  sent  to  Richmond.  "  Learning,  on  the 
23d,  that  a  large  column,  sent  after  him  (Early)  from 
Washington,  was  returning,  and  that  the  Army  of  West 
Virginia,  under  Crook,  including  Hunter's  and  Sigel's  forces, 
was  at  Kernstown,  he  (Early)  determined  to  attack  at 
once."-~5%f"  Davis1  "Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Confederate 
Government" 

After  relieving  Washington,  the  only  purpose,  it  seemed, 
of  the  movement  of  the  6th  and  ipth  corps  toward  the 
Shenandoah  Valley,  was  to  follow  Early  long  enough  to 
start  him  on  the  retreat,  which  all  seemed  to  regard  as 
equivalent  to  his  return  to  Richmond,  acting  upon  which 
idea  they  at  once  fell  back  to  Washington.  It  was  falla 
cious  reasoning,  as  events  proved.  Hearing  of  Crook's  de 
feat,  Halleck  telegraphed  to  Grant  at  8  P.  M.  that  day: 
"  General  Wright,  in  accordance  with  your  orders,  was 
about  to  embark  for  City  Point.  I  have  directed  him  to 
await  your  further  order.  I  shall  exercise  no  further  discre 
tion  in  this  matter,  but  shall  carry  out  such  orders  as  you 
may  give."  The  6th  arid  ipth  corps  were  immediately 
ordered  back,  and  part  of  the  ipth  united  with  Crook's 


146  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 

corps  on  the  2pth  near  Halltown.  Had  there  been  a  better 
understanding,  and  more  unity  of  action  between  Hunter 
and  Wright,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  many  of  the  blunders, 
from  the  I4th  to  the  24  of  July,  could  have  been  avoided. 
As  it  was,  no  campaign  of  the  war  was  more  disjointed, 
more  fruitless  and  demoralizing. 

In  sixteen  days  we  had  fought  two  hard  battles,  skir 
mished  from  Winchester  to  Martinsburg,  much  of  the  time 
moving  in  line  of  battle,  and  had  marched  190  miles.  Con 
sidering  the  worn  out  condition  of  shoeless  men  when  we 
reached  the  Valley  on  the  I2th,  their  terrible  condition  now 
must  be  left  to  the  reader's  imagination,  for,  even  at  this 
distance  of  time,  we  have  no  heart  to  describe  it.  We  now 
renewed  our  requisition  for  clothing,  and,  especially,  shoes, 
and  lay  down  to  await  them,  never  doubting  that  now, 
surely  now,  we  would  get  shoes  and  clothing  for  our  bare 
footed,  ragged,  and  dirty  men  before  we  were  moved  again. 
Before  daylight,  the  morning  of  the  2pth,  the  Quartermas 
ter  and  his  men  were  routed  out  to  draw  clothing,  shoes, 
etc.  Willingly,  all  hands  turned  out,  and,  scarcely  stopping 
to  eat  during  the  day,  succeeded  in  getting  shoes  issued  to 
all  in  need  in  the  regiment.  Over  150  men  were  bare 
footed  on  the  recent  hard  marches.  Considerable  clothing 
was  also  issued,  and  long  after  dark  the  Quartermaster  and 
his  men  ate  their  suppers  and  lay  down  to  rest  a  few  hours, 
intending  to  finish  issuing  early  in  the  morning.  The 
Quartermaster  wras  just  ready,  on  the  3Oth,  with  the  rest 
of  his  stores,  including  "hard  bread,"  on  the  ground,  when 
the  order  to  "  fall  in  "  was  given,  In  a  short  time  the  order 
to  move  came,  and  we  took  our  place  on  the  road.  All  the 
corps  were  on  the  move.  No  one  on  that  march  will  ever 
forget  the  fearful  heat  of  that  July  day,  as  we  marched 
along  side  of  Maryland  Heights.  We  were  started  off  at*  a 
very  rapid  rate,  which  was  kept  up  for  several  miles  with 
out  a  halt.  Over  100  of  the  men  of  the  army  died  of  sun- 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  147 

stroke,  and  many  more  than  that  were  seriously  affected, 
and  dropped  down  by  the  roadside.  We  passed  several  by 
the  road  who  were  either  dead  or  dying,  and,  seeing  the 
effect  of  such  marching,  slackened  our  pace  as  a  mere  act 
of  humanity.  We  thus  fell  a  little  to  the  rear,  but  soon 
caught  up  with  the  thoroughly  exhausted  troops  resting  by 
the  roadside.  We  marched  fifteen  miles,  and  camped  near 
Middletown.  The  people  of  this  place,  on  hearing  of  our 
coming,  set  to  cooking,  and,  when  we  arrived,  met  us  with 
an  abundant  meal  of  everything  good.  The  next  day  we 
marched  fifteen  miles  further,  the  next  about  the  same  dis 
tance,  camping  near  Wolfesville,  and,  about  noon,  on  the  3d 
of  August,  reached  Frederick  City,  Md.  This  is  a  loyal 
city,  true  as  steel.  In  the  afternoon  \ve  moved  to  within  a 
mile  of  Monocacy  Junction  and  went  into  camp.  Next  day 
we  waded  the  Monocacy  River,  and  camped  near  the  Junc 
tion.  We  were  now  on  the  return  trip  to  the  Shenandoah. 
This  marching  was  to  head  off  Early,  from  Washington, 
who  was  again  in  Pennsylvania,  burning  and  pillaging.  On 
the  3Oth,  the  day  we  started,  he  was  marching  on  Cham- 
bersburg,  which  General  McCausland  wrantonly  burned  late 
that  day.  Hearing  at  Middletown,  the  next  day,  that  he 
was  retreating,  writh  Averill  in  pursuit,  and  another  panic 
occurring  in  the  neighborhood  of  Frederick,  Monocacy  and 
Poolesville,  we  turned  in  that  direction,  to  which  point  the 
6th  and  ipth  corps  also  moved.  Here  we  were  greeted 
with  the  announcement  of  another  change  in  commanders. 
On  the  5th  of  August,  General  Grant  had  met  Hunter  at 
Monocacy  and  determined  upon  a  plan  of  campaign  with 
General  Sheridan  as  commander.  On  the  6th,  General 
Grant  telegraphed  to  Halleck  from  Monocacy  Junction: 
"Send  Sheridan,  by  morning  train,  to  Harper's  Ferry,  call 
ing  here,  on  his  way,  to  see  if  General  Hunter  has  left. 
Give  him  orders  to  take  command  of  all  the  troops  in  the 
field  within  his  division.  General  Hunter  will  turn  over  to 


148  ONE    HUNDRED    ANf>    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 

him  my  letter  of  instructions."  Sheridan  arrived  at  Mono- 
cacy  that  same  day,  the  6th,  and  there  met  Grant  and 
Hunter,  and  next  morning  reached  Harper's  Ferry.  Grant 
returned  to  Washington  the  evening  of  the  6th,  and  there, 
next  day,  caused  an  order  to  issue  from  the  War  Depart 
ment,  creating  the  Middle  Military  Division,  out  of  what 
then  composed  the  Departments  of  Pennsylvania,  Washing 
ton,  Maryland  and  West  Virginia,  with  General  Sheridan  in 
command. 

The  War  Department,  General  Grant,  and  the  govern 
ment  authorities  generally,  had  at  last  been  forced  to  devote 
some  of  its  energies  to  West  Virginia  and  the  Shenanhdoah 
Valley,  which,  from  the  beginning  of  the  war,  had  been 
treated  as  though  they  hardly  made  a  shadow  on  the 
troubled  field  of  operations.  This  Shenandoah  Valley,  es 
pecially,  had  acquired  the  soubriquet  of  "the  race  ground" 
in  the  army  and  among  the  people  of  the  country,  and 
Harper's  Ferry  that  of  "Harper's  Weekly,"  the  title  de 
noting  the  time  of  departure  and  return  of  armies.  Every 
commander  who  had  entered  the  Valley  had  retired  "under 
a  cloud"  and  been  labeled  "a  failure."  The  troops,  whose 
evil  destiny  it  had  been  to  "occupy  it,"  had  been  knocked 
about,  whipped,  driven  and  marched  up  and  down  it  until 
they  had  become  disheartened,  disgusted,  and  almost  de 
moralized.  While  they  had  fought  many  desperate  battles, 
had  won  many  brilliant  victories,  and  had  patiently  endured 
untold  hardships,  yet  they  had,  withal,  suffered  so  many 
reverses,  had  been  so  thoroughly  exhausted  by  long,  fruit 
less  raids  and  useless  campaigns,  that  they  had  now  arrived 
at  a  point  where  all  felt  that  further  endurance  "  had  ceased 
to  be  a  virtue."  "  They  yearned  for  a  change,"  and  now 
their  hopes  began  to  brighten,  and  their  spirits  to  revive,  as 
they  saw  around  them  ample  signs  of  preparation  for  an 
other  campaign,  in  which  sufficient  numbers  were  to  take 
part  to  prevent  further  repetitions  of  our  past  disastrous 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  149 

experience.  Early  had  again  returned  to  the  Valley,  and 
was  now  camped  at  Bunker  Hill.  It  was  a  satisfaction  to 
us  to  hear  that,  on  the  7th,  Averill  had  come  upon  McCaus- 
land,  at  Moorefield,  and  given  him  a  terrible  whipping, 
capturing  450  prisoners,  four  pieces  of  artillery,  all  he  had, 
all  his  caissons  but  one,  nearly  all  his  wagons  which  con 
tained  his  plunder,  over  400  horses,  three  battle  flags,  a 
large  number  of  small  arms,  killing  and  wounding  a  large 
number,  and  scattering  the  rest  far  and  wide  through  the 
mountains.  Early,  in  summing  up  the  causes  of  his  mis 
fortunes  later  in  the  season,  said:  "This  affair  at  Moore- 
field  had  a  very  damaging  effect  upon  my  cavalry  for  the 
rest  of  the  campaign."  The  infamous  act  of  McCausland, 
in  burning  Chambersburg,  gave  to  this  annihilating  victory 
over  him  a  peculiar  significance,  and  it  earned  for  General 
Averill  the  plaudits  of  the  whole  North. 


CHAPTER  X. 

SHERIDAN     IN    COMMAND FOR     THE     FIRST     TIME     WE    ARE 

PART    OF  AN    ARMY    EQUAL    TO    THE    OPPOSING    ENEMY  — 

MARCH  TO    CEDAR    CREEK SKIRMISH    ON    THREE    TOP — 

MARCH    BACK    AGAIN BATTLE    OF    HALLTOWN,    AUGUST 

26TH,        LIST  OF  CASUALTIES BATTLE    OF  BERRYVILLE, 

SEPTEMBER  3D, LIST  OF  CASUALTIES. 

A  new  era  had  now  dawned  upon  the  Valley,  and  its 
little  army,  that  had  been  buffeted  about  for  so  long,  was 
now  to  enter  upon  a  new  experience.  The  6th  and  ipth 
corps  were  here.  Large  bodies  of  cavalry,  under  the  best 
officers  of  the  army,  were  arriving  from  the  Potomac  Army. 
Our  own  men  were  being  well  supplied  with  clothing,  well 
fed,  and  allowed  to  rest  up  thoroughly,  without  even  camp 
dutv  to  perform.  Stragglers,  the  sick,  and  the  sore  and 
lame  from  over-marching  when  barefooted,  were  flocking  to 
us  in  large  numbers,  and  we  soon  showed  a  good  line  again. 
One  hundred  days  men  were  everywhere  relieving  veterans 
from  guard  and  post  duty,  and  our  "Army  of  West  Vir 
ginia,"  as  Crook's  8th  corps  was  henceforth  to  be  known  in 
history,  grew  apace  in  strength  and  esprit  de  corps.  So 
that  when  we  moved  up  the  Vallev,  on  the  xoth  of  August, 
Sheridan's  army  numbered  about  40,000  men,  of  which 
nearly  10,000  were  cavalry,  with  twenty  six-gun  batteries. 
Our  corps  was  on  the  left,  the  6th  on  the  right,  and  the 
i pth  in  the  centre.  This  order  was  observed  throughout  the 
campaign.  Our  brigade  was  on  the  left  of  the  first  division, 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  151 

and  our  regiment  on  the  left  of  the  brigade.  The  u6th 
was  thus  on  the  extreme  left  flank  of  the  first  line  of  the 
army.  It  occupied  this  place  in  every  battle  of  the  cam 
paign.  Let  history  tell  how  it  performed  the  duties  of  that 
important  position. 

On  the  loth  the  whole  army  moved  up  the  Valley,  and 
we  camped  that  night  near  Berryville.  On  the  nth  we 
marched  eighteen  miles  further,  much  of  the  time  in  line  of 
battle,  with  heavy  firing  all  the  afternoon  by  the  cavalry  and 
its  artillery  in  our  front.  This  was  a  very  hot,  sultry  day, 
and  as  we  marched,  most  of  the  time  under  cover  of  woods, 
where  no  air  was  stirring,  we  suffered  terribly  from  the 
heat,  but  our  men  stood  it  remarkably  well.  We  were  near 
the  Shenandoah  River  until  near  the  middle  of  the  afternoon 
and  yet  our  men  suffered  considerably  for  want  of  water, 
not  being  allowed  to  go  to  the  river  for  it.  Sometime 
before  dark,  having  marched  in  line  of  battle  for  a  consider 
able  distance,  we  were  ordered  to  load.  Fred  Shofforth,  of 
Company  E,  had  loaded,  and,  when  capping  his  gun,  it  was 
accidentally  discharged,  killing  a  fine  young  soldier  of  his 
company  named  Nathaniel  Adv.  It  was  a  sad  sight  to  see 
the  poor  boy  die  there  from  such  a  careless  cause.  We 
buried  him  decently,  and,  after  prayer  by  the  Chaplain,  fired 
a  volley  over  his  grave,  at  which  we  placed  a  head  board 
on  which  was  inscribed  his  name,  company  and  regiment. 
We  again  advanced  in  line  of  battle  with  loaded  guns, 
expecting  every  minute  our  cavalry,  now  hotly  engaged 
close  in  our  front,  would  open  a  way  for  our  rifles  at  the 
enemy.  But  as  we  advanced  the  carbine  firing  receded, 
and  ceased  altogether  at  dark,  when  we  went  into  camp 
about  nine  miles  from  Front  Royal.  The  next  morning,  the 
1 2th,  we  changed  our  line  of  march,  moving  off  to  the  right 
toward  Middletown,  and  going  into  camp  at  Cedar  Creek, 
directly  under  Massanutten  Mountain.  On  the  i3th  and 
1 4-th,  the  army  was  engaged  in  throwing  up  breastworks. 


152  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

On  the  1 4th,  our  pickets  advanced  and  drove  the  rebels  back 
to  Strausburg.  We  had  a  good  view  of  the  movement 
from  the  hill  near  our  right.  A  signal  station  we  had  es 
tablished  on  Three  Top,  the  most  westerly  spur  of  Massa- 
nutten  Mountain,  was  re-enforced.  It  had  been  seriously 
threatened  during  the  day.  Next  morning,  early,  the  signal 
station  was  attacked  by  the  rebels  and  driven  off.  Our 
regiment  and  the  i4th  West  Virginia  were  sent  out,  under 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes,  to  re-establish  it,  but  we  found 
the  enemy  in  too  strong  force  to  effect  our  object.  We  ad 
vanced,  skirmishing  with  the  enemy,  nearly  to  the  crest  of 
the  mountain,  but  there  were  met  by  a  large  body  of  rebel 
infantry,  which  checked  our  further  progress.  The  rebels 
had  established  a  signal  station  as  soon  as  they  drove  our 
men  off,  and,  while  we  were  advancing  up  the  mountain,  we 
could  see  them  signalling  their  camps  below.  While  we 
were  fighting  near  the  top,  the  rebels  advanced  all  along  the 
line,  and  drove  our  pickets  back  to  the  position  occupied  by 
them  before  the  advance  of  the  day  before.  When  the 
rebels  advanced  on  the  pickets,  a  strong  body  of  infantry 
was  sent  out  from  their  camps  to  cut  us  off.  We  saw  the 
movement,  from  our  elevated  position,  and  fell  back  to  the 
foot  of  the  mountain.  The  officers  of  the  signal  corps  with 
us  signalled  the  movement  on  foot  by  the  rebels  to  our 
army,  when  a  force  was  sent  out  to  intercept  it.  Upon  dis 
covering  that  we  had  been  re-enforced,  the  rebel  column  fell 
back.  We  then  advanced  up  the  mountain  a  second  time, 
and  our  picket  line,  being  strengthened,  advanced,  and  again 
drove  the  rebels  back  to  Strasburg.  As  we  were  nearing 
the  top  again,  an  order  came  directing  us  to  fall  back  to  the 
foot  of  the  mountain,  and  remain  there  on  picket  during  the 
night.  That  was  an  exciting  night  for  pickets.  Firing  was 
kept  up  nearly  all  night.  During  the  night,  and  again  early 
next  morning,  brisk  cannonading  was  heard  in  the  direction 
of  Front  Royal.  Our  regiment,  and  the  i4th  West  Vir- 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  153 

ginia,  were   relieved    from    picket    about   9   o'clock   in   the 
morning,  and  returned  to  camp. 

But  bad  news  now  reached  Sheridan,  which  caused  him 
to  make  a  hasty  retreat.  On  the  i6th  Custer,  Deven  and 
Gibbs,  of  the  cavalry,  were  confronted  at  Front  Royal  writh 
Kershaw's  division  of  infantry,  which  had  taken  part  in  the 
recent  action  near  Malvern  Hill.  This  explained  the  artil 
lery  firing  we  had  heard  the  night  before.  A  large  force  of 
cavalry  also  accompanied  his  division,  besides  Cutshaw's 
battallion  of  artillery.  Reliable  information  showed  that 
Early  was  now  being  re-inforced  by  General  R.  H.  Ander 
son,  commanding  the  First  (Longstreet's)  Corps,  accom 
panied  by  Kershaw's  division  of  infantry,  Fitzhugh  Lee's 
division  of  cavalry,  and  Cutshaw's  battalion  of  artillery. 
About  the  same  time  McCausland  joined  him  with  what 
was  left  of  his  two  brigades  of  cavalry,  after  his  terrible  de 
feat,  by  Averill,  at  Moorefield,  and  also  by  some  scattering 
commands  from  the  Upper  Valley.  On  the  i4th,  General 
Grant  sent  word  to  Sheridan  that  Lee  had  sent  Early  "two 
divisions  of  infantry,  some  cavalry,  and  twenty  pieces  of 
artillery,"  and  he  requested,  "that  Sheridan  be  warned  to 
be  cautious,  and  act  on  the  defensive  until  movements  here, 
(in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac),  force  them  to  detach  to 
send  this  way."  Again,  on  the  same  day,  Grant  dispatched 
Sheridan:  "The  movements  on  the  north  side  of  the  James 
to-day,  developed  the  presence  of  Field's  division  of  Long- 
street's  corps,  which,  1  supposed,  had  gone  to  the  Valley. 
Picketts'  division  is  also  here.  *  *  *  It  is  now  positive 
that  Kershaw's  division  has  gone,  but  no  other  infantry." 
Sheridan  was  thus  fully  advised  of  the  approaching  re- 
enforcements  by  Grant  himself,  but  his  cavalry  had  also 
discovered  their  approach.  Grant  further  said,  in  his  dis- 
patces  to  Sheridan.  "This  re-inforcement  to  Early,  will 
put  him  nearer  on  an  equality  with  you  in  numbers  than  I 
\vant  to  see,  and  will  make  it  necessary  for  vou  to  observe 


154  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

more  caution  about  attacking."  The  position  then  occupied 
by  Sheridan,  at  Cedar  Creek,  was  a  very  bad  one.  It  was 
entirely  indefensible.  Sheridan  saw,  and  knew  this,  and  so 
informed  Grant  as  soon  as  possible  after  reaching  it.  And 
it  will  be  observed,  hereafter,  that  Sheridan  never  took  but 
two  positions,  in  the  Valley,  when  he  deemed  it  necessary 
to  assume  a  safe  one,  viz :  the  position  at  Halltown,  and  the 
Clifton-Berry ville  line.  On  the  night  of  the  i5th,  the  ipth 
corps  fell  back  to  Winchester,  and  on  the  night  of  the  i6th, 
the  6th  corps,  and  ours,  followed.  On  the  morning  of  the 
1 7th,  the  enemy  saw  our  vacant  camps,  from  Three  Top, 
and  followed  us  at  once.  Resting  a  short  time  at  Winches 
ter,  we  marched  to  Berryville,  where,  about  3  P.  M.,  on  the 
1 7th,  we  went  into  camp.  Custer,  Devin  and  Gibbs  fell 
back  before  Kershaw's  infantry;  and  Lee?s  cavalry,  from 
Front  Royal  towards  Winchester,  following  the  infantry 
column,  literally  destroying,  as  they  fell  back,  everything 
upon  which  man  or  beast  could,  feed.  A  Richmond  paper 
of  the  time  said:  "With  their  immense  cavalry  they  ex 
tended  their  lines  from  Front  Royal,  in  Warren  County,  to 
the  North  Mountains,  west  of  Strasburg,  and  burnt  every 
bushel  of  wheat,  in  stack,  barn  or  mills,  in  Frederick,  War 
ren,  or  Clark,  as  well  as  oats  and  hay,  they  have  left  abso 
lutely  nothing  in  these  three  counties.  They  drove  before 
them  every  horse,  cowr,  sheep,  hog,  calf  and  living  animal 
from  the  country.  What  the  people  are  to  do,  God  only 
knows.  General  Early,  two  weeks  ago,  gave  orders  not  to 
have  a  bushel  of  grain  taken  from  below  Strasburg,  as 
hardly  enough  was  left  for  the  citizens." 

On  the  1 8th  we  changed  our  position,  moving  about  five 
miles  north  of  Berryville.  On  the  2Oth  we  moved  to  the 
vicinity  of  Clifton,  now  occupying  the  Clifton-Berry  ville 
line,  the  enemy  closely  following  us.  About  IIP.  M.,  we  fell 
back  to  the  vicinity  of  Charlestown,  the  army  nowr  stretch 
ing  from  the  Shenandoah  to  beyond  Summit  Point,  We 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  155 

worked  all  that  night  throwing  up  breastworks,  and  the 
next  day,  about  8  A.  M.,  Early  came  up  with  Rhodes'  and 
Ramseuer's  divisions,  and  attacked  the  left  of  the  6th  corps 
and  the  right  of  ours,  and  fighting  continued  till  dark. 
During  the  day,  our  brigade  was  sent  across  to  the  support 
of  our  right,  and  engaged  the  enemy,  driving  him  from  our 
front.  The  6th  corps  advanced  upon  the  enemy  in  its  front, 
driving  him  back  until  it  came  upon  his  main  line,  falling 
back  to  its  original  position  at  dark.  Had  not  Merritt  at 
Berry ville,  and  Wilson  at  Summit  Point,  checked  Anderson, 
there  would  have  been  a  general  engagement  that  day,  and 
probably  a  hard  and  doubtful- battle  fought.  It  was  the 
purpose  of  Early  and  Anderson  to  have  made  a  combined 
attack  on  Sheridan,  but  the  efforts  of  Merritt  and  Wilson 
prevented  Anderson  joining  Early  from  Winchester,  where 
he  had  been  lying  since  our  retrogade  from  Cedar  Creek. 
That  night  Sheridan  withdrew  Merritt  and  Wilson,  and  the 
army  fell  back,  and  took  a  position  on  Bolivar  Heights  at 
Halltown,  its  right  resting  on  the  Potomac,  its  left  on  the 
Shenandoah.  A  letter  written  from  Halltown  by  Quarter 
master  Sergeant  Walker,  under  date  of  August  3Oth,  1864, 
speaking  of  the  movement  of  August  2ist,  says: 

"  SUNDAY,  AUGUST  2IST — Without  thinking  what  I  was 
doing,  or  intending  to  do  anything  wrong,  I  read  a  chapter 
in  my  Testament  this  morning,  but  the  boys  said  as  it  was 
my  first  offense,  and  if  I  promised  to  reform,  they  would  let 
the  matter  drop.  About  10  o'clock,  the  1230!  Ohio  were 
ordered  out  on  a  foraging  expedition.  Through  some  mis 
take,  the  whole  brigade  started,  and  were  not  halted  till  we 
had  gone  some  distance,  when  we  were  turned  back,  and 
camped  in  almost  the  same  place  we  were  in  before. 
Before  pitching  tents,  the  men  set  to  work  cleaning  up  the 
camp,  which  being  done,  they  were  putting  up  their  tents 
as  neatly  as  they  could,  as  though  they  expected  to  remain 
some  time.  They  had  not  pitched  more  than  half  of  them 


156  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

when  we  were  ordered  to  move  immediately.  We  had 
heard  heavy  cannonading  for  some  time  in  our  front,  and 
there  seemed  to  be  a  pretty  severe  fight  going  on.  Crook's 
command,  to  which  we  belong,  went  to  the  extreme  front, 
our  regiment  being  in  front  of  the  brigade.  After  taking  a 
position  on  the  line,  we  went  to  work  building  breastworks 
of  rails,  logs  and  whatever  else  was  convenient.  After  they 
were  finished,  Colonel  Thoburn,  commanding  the  division, 
rode  by  and  spoke  to  one  of  the  men,  asking  him  if  they 
had  'got  the  works  so  they  wrould  turn  rebel  bullets,'  and 
being  answered  in  the  affirmative,  he  said:  'Well,  now,  sit 
down  and  take  it  easy,  very  easy,  for  you  may  stay  here 
three  or  four  weeks.'  Very  cool,  I  thought,  considering 
there  was  a  greatly  superior  force  in  our  front.  At  mid 
night,  Sunday,  we  broke  camp  and  fell  back  to  Halltown, 
four  miles  from  Harper's  Ferry.  Passing  through  Charles- 
town,  our  bands  played  'John  Brown's  Body,'  etc.,  much 
to  the  annoyance  of  the  citizens  of  the  place." 

In  Walker's  diary,  under  date  of  the  22d,  I  find  the  fol 
lowing  singular  entry:  "Found  our  regiment  in  the  ex 
treme  front.  Got  a  canteen  of  whisky  and  sent  out  to  the 
officers."  After  a  great  deal  of  inquiry  among  the  officers, 
I  concluded  that  Walker  was  mistaken  about  this.  Not  an 
officer  had  the  slightest  recollection  of  such  an  event.  So, 
thinking  he  might  have  some  explanation  he  would  wish  to 
make,  I  wrote  him  regarding  it,  and  received  from  him  the 
following  terse  reply :  "  That  canteen  of  whisky  was  sent  to 
you,  if  you  must  know"  It  will  be  seen  that  this  proved  a 
clear  case  of  too  much  "cross-examination." 

The  position  of  the  army  here  was  exceedingly  strong, 
and  we  immediately  set  to  work  making  it  stronger,  by 
building  entrenchments.  While  our  infantry  now  probably 
outnumbered  that  of  the  enemy,  and  was  daily  increasing 
by  accessions  from  the  sick,  wounded  and  those  exhausted 
and  straggling  from  the  Lynchburg  raid,  and  the  hard 


ONE  HUNDRED  AND  SIXTEENTH  o.  V.  i.  157 

marches  of  July,  their  cavalry  far  outnumbered  ours,  and  so 
roamed  the  country  at  will.  To  meet  them  in  this  respect, 
General  Wilson's  division  of  cavalry  was  brought  over  from 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  which  joined  us  at  Winchester 
on  the  1 7th.  We  had  now  with  us  such  riders  as  Torbert, 
Merritt,  Custer,  Wilson,  Devin,  Averill,  Powell,  Lowell, 
Gibbs  and  Duffie,  a  grand  host  in  themselves,  and  we  heard 
no  more  of  rebel  cavalry  raids  in  our  rear.  Harper's  Ferry, 
our  depot  of  supplies,  was  close  behind  us,  and  the  army 
was  kept  daily  well  supplied. 

This  retrograde  movement  had  been  made  for  several 
reasons,  but  mainly  because  of  the  heavy  re-enforcements 
received  by  Early,  and  the  instructions  of  Grant  to  "act  on 
the  defensive,  until  Lee  was  compelled  to  detach  troops 
from  Early  to  meet  his  necessities  at  Richmond."  But  now 
Sheridan  was  watching  every  movement  of  the  enemy  to 
detect  the  very  moment  any  of  his  troops  were  sent  away. 
While  Early's  principal  object  seemed  to  be  to  keep  the 
Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad  torn  up,  Sheridan's  sole  pur 
pose  was  to  destroy  Early's  army  at  the  first  opportunity. 
Hence  active  and  heavy  reconnoisances  were  sent  out  from 
his  entrenched  position  almost  daily.  A  reconnoisance  of 
our  brigade  on  the  24th  revealed  a  change  in  the  enemy's 
position.  We  met  with  no  loss.  Major  Morris,  who  had 
been  at  home  since  the  pth,  on  leave  of  absence  on  account 
of  sickness  in  his  family,  returned  to  the  regiment  on  the 
26th,  but  in  citizen's  dress.  His  resignation  had  been  ten 
dered  during  his  absence,  and  was  a  surprise  to  all.  We 
were  sorry  to  lose  him  from  our  numbers.  Major  Morris 
was  an  excellent  officer,  always  prompt  in  the  discharge  of 
every  duty,  and  as  a  man,  was  courteous  and  gentlemanly 
toward  all,  officers  and  men  alike. 

Cavalry  fighting,  with  varied  results,  was  continuous 
until  the  26th,  when,  in  the  afternoon,  our  brigade  was  sent 
out  on  a  reconnoisance  in  our  front,  and  also  to  burn  some 


158  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

grain  and  hay  stacks,  behind  which  the  enemy  were  shel 
tered.  The  n6th  had  the  advance  on  this  occasion,  and 
meeting  the  enemy's  skirmishers  soon  after  starting,  it 
pressed  them  back  to  the  cover  of  their  artillery,  capturing 
a  number  of  prisoners.  The  reconnoisance  demonstrated 
the  presence  of  only  General  Anderson's  force,  and  he  did 
not  return  to  the  line  from  which  he  was  driven,  but  fell 
back  that  night  to  Stephenson's  Depot,  where  the  cavalry 
found  him  next  day,  and  where  he  was  confronted  by  the 
advance  of  the  ipth  corps  next  day.  On  the  day  before, 
the  25th,  Early,  with  the  divisions  of  Rhodes,  Ramseur, 
Gordon  and  Wharton,  and  most  of  his  cavalry,  moved  past 
our  right  to  Shepherdstown,  leaving  Anderson  in  our  front 
with  only  Kershaw's  division  and  Cutshawr's  artillery. 
Early  attacked  our  cavalry,  under  Torbert,  between  Lee- 
town  and  Kearneysville,  and  drove  them  off  the  field, 
nearly  all  of  it  returning  to  Halltown.  Custer,  however, 
being  cut  off,  escaped  through  Shepherdstown.  If  it  was 
Early's  object  to  draw  Sheridan  out  of  his  intrenchments, 
he  failed,  for  all  Sheridan  did  was  to  send  his  large  body  of 
cavalry  across  the  river  into  Maryland,  there  to  confront 
Early  and  to  watch  him  if  he  made  an  attempt  to  cross  into 
Maryland  and  Pennsylvania.  Whatever  Early's  purpose 
was,  the  next  day,  the  26th,  he  marched  back  to  Leetown, 
and  the  following  day  to  Bunker  Hill. 

The  loss  of  the  n6th  in  the  affair  of  the  26th,  was  as 
follows : 

KILLED. 

Private  George  W.  Matchett,  Company  C. 

DIED  OF  WOUNDS. 

Corporal  Jacob  C.  Sidders,  Company  I ;  Miles  H.  Davis.  Company  C. 
WOUNDED. 

Sergeant  Major  William  J.  Lee,  side,  slight;  Corporal  Jerome  McVeigh,  Company 
A,  right  hand,  slight;  Corporal  J.  C.  Sidders,  Company  I,  died;  Private  Elza  J.  Hill, 
Company  A,  right  arm,  slight;  Private  Emanuel  Keylor,  Company  A,  thigh,  slight; 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  159 

Private  John  A.  Harmon,  Company  A  ;  Corporal  Abner  G.  Carlton,  Company  C,  thigh, 
severely;  Miles  H.  Davis,  Company  C,  died;  Charles  D.  Watson,  Company  C,  hip, 
slight;  Sergeant  A.  G.  Jackson,  Company  D,  hip,  slight;  Sergeant  James  K.  Drum, 
Company  D,  side,  slight;  Private  Isaac  Price,  Company  D,  thigh,  slight;  Private 
William  L.  Morris,  Company  D,  shoulder;  Private  James  D.  Ferrill,  Company  D,  knee, 
slight;  Private  Charles  Dirkus,  Company  E,  knee,  severely;  Private  Christian  Miller, 
Company  E,  bowels,  slight;  Private  Martin  Thoner,  Company  E,  knee,  slight;  Sergeant 
Leander  Shaac,  Company  F,  head,  slight;  Sergeant  Mathias  Rucker,  Company  F,  foot, 
slight;  Corporal  Silas  King,  Company  F,  very  severely;  (the  ball  passed  in  at  mouth 
and  came  out  between  the  shoulders;)  Private  Amos  S.  Jones,  and  captured,  died  in 
Salisbury  prison,  March,  1865;  Private  L.  Efaw,  Company  F,  leg,  slight;  Sergeant 
Benjamin  F.  Sammons,  Company  H,  hip  slight;  Sergeant  William  A.  Arnold,  Company 
H.  knee,  severely ;  Private  James  R.  Finley,  Company  I,  leg,  slight;  Private  Charles 
Watson,  Company  I,  shoulder,  slight;  Private  Jesse  Burton,  Company  I,  side,  slight. 

PRISONER. 

Henry  King,  Company  F. 

Killed,  3;  wounded,  25;  prisoner,  i. 

Colonel  Wells  says,  in  his  report  of  this  engagement: 
"The  n6th  Ohio  and  5th  New  York  were  ordered  to  clear 
the  woods,  the  34th  Massachusetts  to  charge  across  the 
open  field  and  fire  the  stacks  after  the  woods  should  be 
cleared.  The  12 3d  Ohio  was  held  in  reserve.  The  enemy's 
skirmishers  were  driven  easily  from  the  wroods  by  our  skir 
mish  line.  After  our  skirmishers  were  all  in  and  were 
formed,  Colonel  Thoburn  directed  the  skirmishers  to  charge 
through  the  woods.  This  we  did,  but  as  soon  as  our  line 
entered  it,  we  received  a  very  heavy  fire  from  a  line  of 
woods  to  our  right  across  the  pike.  Intrenchments  having 
been  thrown  up  along  the  edge  of  these  woods,  and  a 
strong  skirmish  line  firing  from  these,  within  easy  range, 
and  directly  upon  our  flank,  made  the  small  piece  wre  were 
ordered  to  hold  almost  untenable.  Our  line  quickly  changed 
front  to  the  right,  and  a  portion  of  it  charged  across  the 
pike,  driving  the  enemy  back  from  the  edge  of  the  woods 
occupied  by  them.  1  withdrew  them  as  soon  as  possible, 
and  formed  in  the  edge  of  my  own  wroods,  parallel  with  and 
facing  the  pike.  I  sent  two  companies  through  to  the  part 
of  the  woods  toward  Charlestown,  and  then  directed  the 


l6o  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

34th  Massachusetts  to  move  down  to  burn  the  stacks. 
This  was  soon  done.  Meanwhile  the  line  in  the  woods  was 
exchanging  fire  across  the  pike  with  the  enemy  and  losing 
men  fast.  After  I  saw  the  34th  moving  back,  I  began  to 
withdraw  the  line  from  the  woods.  Just  as  I  was  doing 
this,  I  received  Colonel  Thoburn's  order  to  fall  back.  The 
1 1 6th  Ohio  and  34th  Massachusetts  were  steady  and  gal 
lant  as  usual.  The  casualties  were  nine  killed,  fifty-six 
wounded  and  one  missing." — Colonel  Wells'  report,  August 
26th,  1864. 

It  will  be  seen  that  our  loss  of  twenty-eight  killed  and 
wounded  was  a  large  share  of  the  whole.  It  was  the  right 
wing  of  our  regiment  that  drove  the  rebel  skirmishers  back 
from  the  edge  of  the  woods  by  a  charge  across  the  pike, 
and  it  was  in  this  charge  we  met  our  greatest  loss. 

From  the  appendix  to  George  E.  Pond's  "Shenandoah 
Valley,"  I  take  the  following  extract  from  wrhat  purports 
to  be  an  "Official  Diary  of  .First  Corps  Army  Northern 
Virginia": 

"  AUGUST  26TH. — Enemy  in  position,  and  quiet  until 
afternoon  about  five  o'clock,  when  he  advanced  four  or  five 
regiments  of  infantry  and  one  of  cavalry  to  feel  our  lines. 
The  picket  line  of  the  i5th  South  Carolina  regiment, 
Kershaw's  brigade,  breaks,  and  one  hundred  men  of  it  are 
captured.  The  enemy  soon  retires.  During  the  night  we 
hear  of  Early,  who  is  at  Leetown." 

The  ist  and  2d  brigades  of  the  2d  division  attacked  the 
rebel  picket  line  farther  to  the  left  on  the  26th,  at  the  same 
time  we  moved  out  on  the  right.  General  Hayes  was  in 
command,  and  in  his  report  he  says:  "On  the  26th  of 
August,  my  brigade,  in  connection  with  the  2d  brigade,  at 
tacked  the  rebel  picket  line  with  decided  success.  My  loss 
was  three  killed  and  twenty-one  wounded.  The  loss  of  the 
enemy  was  104  officers  and  men  captured,  and  about  150 
killed  and  wounded." 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  l6l 

From  a  letter  written  August  27th,  1864,  I  extract  the 
following:  "We  were  in  a  fight  yesterday  in  which  our 
regiment  lost  one  killed  and  twenty-six  wounded.  The  5th 
New  York  lost  five  killed  and  thirty-seven  wounded.  We 
took  103  prisoners,  and  drove  the  enemy  from  his  position. 
This  morning  there  is  no  enemy  visible  in  our  front.  There 
is  a  movement  of  the  rebels  in  some  direction.  The  ipth 
corps  is  moving  out  towards  Charlestown  in  pursuit.  None 
of  my  officers  were  touched  yesterday.  The  whole  regi 
ment  behaved  gallantly."  The  prisoners  are  evidently  the 
same  mentioned  in  General  Hayes'  report,  and  in  General 
Anderson's  memoranda.  On  the  28th,  the  army  moved  out 
to  our  old  position  of  a  week  before,  two  miles  beyond 
Charlestown,  and  then  fell  back  to  Charlestown.  It  must 
be  borne  in  mind  that  we  never  passed  through  Charles- 
town  without  singing: 

"  John  Brown's  body  lies  a  moulding  in  the  tomb, 
His  soul  goes  marching  on." 

On  the  ist  of  September,  Corporal  Sidders,  of  com 
pany  I,  thought  to  be  killed  in  the  reconnoisance  at  Hall- 
town,  on  the  26th  of  August,  turned  up  with  a  broken  leg. 
He  had  suffered  terribly  with  his  broken  limb,  to  which  no 
care  had  been  given,  and  afterwards  died  of  his  wound. 
Walker's  record  says  of  him:  "Poor  fellow!  He  was  a 
brave  soldier  and  a  good  boy,  one  that  will  be  missed  in 
the  company  and  at  home."  Sergeant  McKinzie,  of  com 
pany  G,  died  in  hospital  at  Sandy  Hook,  August  26th. 
These  were  two  fine  young  soldiers  and  excellent  men,  and 
were  a  great  loss  to  their  companies  and  the  service. 

On  the  3d  of  September,  the  army  moved  forward  to 
the  vicinity  of  Berryville,  where  our  corps  came  upon  the 
enemy.  It  had  a  very  sharp  fight.  The  n6th  had  four 
wounded,  as  follows :  Privates  Leonard  Craig,  company  H, 
leg,  severe;  Benjamin  Larrick,  company  H,  hand,  severe; 


1 62  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  T. 

John  Harman,  company  A,  nose,  slight ;  George  Bates,  com 
pany  I,  hand,  severe.  Benjamin  Larrick  died  of  his  wounds, 
October  2d,  1864,  at  Frederick,  Maryland.  We  had  gone 
into  camp,  nnd  were  cooking  supper,  when  firing  was 
heard  on  our  picket  line.  Pans  and  kettles  were  dropped 
at  once,  and  we  moved  up  rapidly  to  the  front,  and  took 
the  position  assigned  us,  where  we  lay  down  and  sent  out 
skirmishers.  Some  of  our  officers  then  went  out  to  the 
front  to  see  what  was  there,  as  there  was  no  firing  in  our 
immediate  vicinity.  Suddenly  a  terrible  fire  opened  on  the 
regiments  on  our  right  and  left,  our  brigade  having  been 
thrown  into  a  gap  existing  between  our  second  division  and 
the  ipth  corps.  The  regiments  fired  upon  stampeded  in  a 
panic,  which,  for  the  moment,  also  seized  ours,  and  for  the 
first  and  only  time  during  its  term  of  service,  it  fell  back 
without  orders.  It  was  rallied  by  the  officers  a  few  rods  to 
the  rear,  however,  when  we  all  had  a  good  laugh,  at  our 
own  expense,  over  our  "  panic."  The  men  were  more 
ashamed  of  being  caught  in  a  "panic,"  than  of  any  and  all 
the  little  escapades  of  their  lives,  and  never  quite  forgave 
themselves  for  it.  However,  no  harm  resulted,  for  the  halt 
was  so  quickly  made  that  the  disaster  which  might  have 
followed  too  far  a  retreat  was  averted.  But  we  found  our 
selves  alone  now,  far  to  the  front,  without  anything  for 
some  distance  on  our  right  or  left,  and  the  rest  of  the  panic- 
stricken  troops  not  coming  back  very  promptly,  we  were 
ordered  to  fall  back  to  a  new  line,  forming  behind  a  stone 
wall,  some  distance  to  the  rear  of  our  first  position.  Our 
men  went  back  very  reluctantly,  for  they  wanted  to  wipe 
out,  then  and  there,  what  they  felt  was  a  stain  on  their 
good  name.  Several  of  the  officers  wanted  to  charge  any 
how,  before  falling  back,  and  the  men  were  as  eager  for  it 
as  they.  With  the  officer  who  brought  the  order  to  fall 
back,  was  sent  a  request  to  Colonel  Thoburn  to  "bring 
back  the  skedaddlers  to  this  line  and  let  us  charge,"  but 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  163 

very  soon  a  peremptory  order  came,  and,  reluctantly,  the 
regiment  retired  to  the  position  assigned  it,  and  as  events 
proved,  we  were  none  too  soon  in  making  the  movement, 
for  the  rebels  poured  after  us,  close  up  to  the  stone  wall, 
and  occupied  a  stone  house  a  short  distance  from  our  front. 
From  this  we  soon  dislodged  them,  taking  possession  of  it 
ourselves,  and  we  made  good  use  of  it  in  driving  the  line  in 
the  rear  of  it  back  a  safe  distance  from  our  front.  We  lay 
in  line  of  battle  all  that  night,  and  the  morning  found  the 
army  entrenched  and  ready  for  what  the  day  might  bring 
forth. 

The  affair  at  Berryville  was  the  result  of  pure  accident. 
It  was  not  brought  on  by  intention  on  either  side.  A  few 
days  before  this,  Lee  had  recalled  General  Anderson,  and 
the  force  that  came  with  him  to  Early  on  the  i6th  of 
August  at  Fisher's  Hill.  Grant  had  been  "hammering 
away"  at  Lee,  and  now  his  necessities  compelled  him  to 
recall  Anderson.  Not  knowing  that  an  hour  before  we 
had  moved  across  the  Berryville  pike,  Anderson,  on  his 
way  to  pass  through  Ashby's  Gap,  and  thence  to  Rich 
mond,  fairly  stumbled  upon  our  corps  as  some  of  it  was 
going  into  camp.  The  impression  given  to  our  command 
ers  was  that  Early  was  disputing  the  ground  with  us,  and 
had  met  us  there  to  give  us  battle,  \vhereas  our  presence 
was  not  known  to  Early  at  all,  until  the  head  of  Anderson's 
marching  column  blundered  upon  our  camps.  Had  the 
actual  situation  been  known  to  Sheridan,  he  could  have  de 
stroyed  Anderson,  for  Early,  with  the  rest  of  his  army,  was 
several  miles  away.  But  it  was  a  complete  surprise  to 
both  sides,  and  so  each  fought  shy  of  the  other,  and  did 
more  feeling  and  reconnoitering  than  fighting.  Daylight 
seemed  to  shed  no  light  on  the  affair  of  advantage  to  either 
side,  and  so,  after  bringing  nearly  all  his  force  from  Win 
chester  to  Anderson's  assistance,  and  demonstrating  a  little 
towards  our  now  well  entrenched  line,  Early  and  Anderson 


164  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 

both  withdrew  beyond  the  Opequan.  We  were  again  on 
the  Clifton-Berryville  line,  and  that  morning  our  corps  fell 
back  to  Clifton,  where  it  went  into  camp.  None  of  the 
men  of  the  u6th  will  ever  forget  the  "lecture"  they  re 
ceived  on  the  subject  of  "  panics,"  and  the  office  of  the  word 
"halt"  in  military  matters. 

From  Walker's  record,  I  take  the  following  account  of 
this  affair  at  Berryville.  "About  5  P.  M.,  we  moved  for 
ward  once  more,  and  went  into  camp  on  the  right  of  the 
town.  We  had  not  got  settled,  when  an  order  came  to  fall 
in  immediately,  which  we  did,  and  moved  out  by  the  right 
flank  about  half  a  mile  and  formed  in  line  in  the  woods. 
Scarcely  had  we  formed,  when  the  enemy  opened  a  severe 
fire  on  the  left  of  our  brigade,  the  12  3d  Ohio,  and  a  regi 
ment  on  our  right,  causing  both  to  break  and  leave  the  field 
in  some  disorder.  This  left  our  regiment  in  danger  of 
being  flanked,  and  a  portion  began  to  fall  back.  The 
flanking  was  prevented  by  the  whole  regiment  falling  back 
to  a  large  house  and  reforming,  when  they  again  went  to 
the  front,  determined  to  stay.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes 
and  Captain  Teters  displayed  great  gallantly,  as  indeed 
they  always  do.  Those  of  us  who  had  horses  in  charge 
fell  back  as  the  balls  came  whistling  past  us." 

We  now  had  a  splendid  army,  and  all  felt  that  we  could 
whip  the  enemy,  and  were  impatient  to  be  at  it.  Up  to 
this  time,  from  early  in  the  spring,  and,  for  that  matter,  from 
June  the  year  before,  we  had  had  an  almost  uninterrupted 
series  of  reverses,  owing  to  the  undisputed  fact  that  we  had 
invariably  been  contending  with  vastly  superior  numbers. 


CHAPTER  XL 

AN  AMBULANCE  TRAIN  CAPTURED  AND  RE-CAPTURED- — AC 
TION  TAKEN  BY  THE  OFFICERS,  ON   HEARING  OF  THE 

DEATH  OF  CAPTAIN  KEYES ANOTHER  ACCIDENT  IN  THE 

REGIMENT SHERIDAN'S  OPPORTUNITY GETTING  READY 

FOR  A  FIGHT BATTLE  OF  OPEQUAN,  SEPTEMBER  IpTH 

—  ANOTHER  GALLANT  CHARGE LIST  OF  CASU ALTIES  — 

COLONEL  WELLS'  REPORT  —  A  MAJOR'S  REPORT  OF  OUR 

CHARGE. 

Before  entering  upon  what  followed,  we  must  record 
some  further  incidents  of  our  regimental  history.  On  the 
5th  of  September,  Moseby  attacked  and  captured  our  am 
bulance  train,  which  for  some  reason  had  been  allowed  to 
depart  from  Harper's  Ferry  without  a  guard.  The  train 
was  in  charge  of  Lieutenant  Ransom  Griffin,  of  the  n6th, 
who  had  some  time  before  been  detached  to  the  ambulance 
corps.  Accompanying  it  were  several  officers  returning  to 
their  commands,  among  whom  was  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Kellogg,  of  the  i23d  Ohio.  They  were  somewhat  in  ad 
vance  of  the  train  \vhen  Moseby  made  his  attack  upon  it. 
Colonel  Kellogg  put  spurs  to  his  horse,  and  soon  reaching 
a  cavalry  post,  induced  twenty  men  to  follow  him  back,  and 
attacking  Moseby  and  his  gang,  they  re-captured  the  train 
and  brought  it  safely  into  camp.  Colonel  Kellogg's  dash 
ing  act  made  him  the  hero  of  the  hour.  Next  day  Lieu- 
tentant  Griffin  made  his  appearance,  not  having  been  re 
leased  by  Colonel  Kellogg's  dashing  act,  but  having  made 


1 66  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH   O.  V.  I. 

his  escape  during  the  night.  It  was  reported  of  Lieutenant 
Griffin,  that  he  charged  the  rebels  with  his  "stretcher 
corps,"  and  would  have  driven  them  off  had  all  behaved  as 
bravely  as  he  did. 

On  the  morning  of  the  8th,  our  corps  was  moved  from 
the  extreme  left  to  the  extreme  right  of  the  army.  We 
were  now  not  far  from  Smithfield,  and  only  about  five  miles 
from  Bunker  Hill.  The  news  of  the  fall  of  Atlanta  was 
confirmed.  Our  Sutler  came  up  for  the  first  time  since  we 
started  for  Lynchburg  in  the  spring.  We  heard  to-day 
for  the  first  time,  of  the  death  of  Captain  Keyes,  at  Lynch- 
.burg,  Va.,  on  the  ipth  of  July.  On  the  loth,  the  officers 
met  and  adopted  the  following  resolutions  in  respect  to 
him: 

"  CAMP  IN  THE  FIELD,  SEPTEMBER  10TH,  1864. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  officers  of  the  116th  Regiment  O.  V.  I.,  held  in  reference  to  the 
death  of  Captain  Edwin  Keyes,  Captain  Mallory  was  called  to  the  Chair,  and  Lieutenant 
Wm.  Bidenharn  was  appointed  Secretary.  The  object  of  the  meeting  having  been 
stated  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes,  on  motion,  it  was  voted  that  a  committee  of  three 
be  appointed  by  the  Chairman  to  draft  resolutions  for  the  occasion.  The  Chairman 
appointed  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes,  Captain  W.  B.  Teters  and  Captain  James  P.  Mann 
that  committee,  who  reported  the  following  : 

WHEREAS,  We  hear  with  unfeigned  sorrow  and  the  deepest  heart-felt  regret,  of  the 
death  of  Captain  Edwin  Keyes,  of  Company  B,  116th  Regiment  Ohio  Infantry  Volun 
teers,  at  Lynchburg,  Va.,  July  19th,  1804,  Therefore 

Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  Captain  Keyes,  we  are  deprived  of  the  society  of  a 
fine  Christian  gentleman,  a  polished  scholar,  a  brave  and  gallant  officer,  and  the  service 
and  the  country  of  a  true,  noble  and  earnest  patriot. 

Resolved,  That  in  his  loss  we  mourn  another  sacrifice  on  the  altar  of  our  common 
country  ;  that  the  gallant  charge  in  which  he  received  his  death  wounds,  while  thus  again 
brought  terribly  vivid  to  our  minds,  is  made  the  more  sacred  to  our  memory,  because  of 
the  precious  lived  that  were  there  laid  down. 

Resolved,  That  we  tender  his  bereaved  wife,  family  and  friends  our  warmest  sym 
pathy,  and  direct  them  to  seek  consolation  in  Him  Who  holds  the  destiny  of  nations  in 
his  hands,  and  Who  only  can  support  them  under  the  weight  of  their  great  affliction. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  sent  to  the  family  of  the  gallant  dead, 
and  to  the  Pomeroy  Telegraph,  Athens  Messenger,  Marietta  Register,  Spirit  of  Dem 
ocracy  and  Noble  County  Republican. 

On  motion  of  Lieutenant  A.  W.  Williams,  Quartermaster  of  the  regiment,  the  reso 
lutions  were  adopted  after  a  few  pertinent  and  feeling  remarks  from  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Wildes,  reviewing  the  gallant  conduct  of  the  deceased. 

THORNTON  MALLORY,  Chairman. 
WILLIAM  BIDENHARN,  Secretary. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  167 

On  the  loth  of  September,  Corporal  George  K.  Camp 
bell,  of  B,  who  had  been  for  some  time  on  recruiting  service 
in  Ohio,  was  discharged  from  the  n6th  and  promoted  to  a 
captaincy  in  the  i74th  Ohio  Volunteers,  Colonel  John  S. 
Jones,  of  Delaware,  Ohio,  commanding.  Captain  Campbell 
commanded  company  E  in  that  regiment.  Desiring  to 
learn  how  he  sustained  the  name  and  fame  of  his  first  love, 
I  wrote  General  Jones  and  received  a  long  letter  in  reply, 
in  which  he  speaks  in  the  most  flattering  terms  of  our  Cor 
poral.  The  1 74th  saw  much  fighting  and  severe  service, 
being  among  the  troops  which  beat  off  Hood  from  Mur- 
freesboro  in  December,  1864,  and  afterwards  was  sent  with 
the  2Oth  corps,  to  Newbern,  North  Carolina,  and  joined 
General  Sherman  at  Golclsboro,  after  fighting  a  hard  battle 
at  Kingston.  The  regiment,  though  a  one  year's  organiza 
tion,  took  part  in  five  different  engagements,  in  all  of  which 
it  reflected  credit  upon  Ohio  soldiers.  General  Jones  says 
of  our  Corporal :  "  Captain  George  K.  Campbell  was  one 
of  the  most  efficient  officers  in  this  gallant  regiment.  He 
was  with  it  continually  in  every  march  and  in  every  battle, 
and  never  omitted,  or  failed  in,  a  single  duty."  That  Cap 
tain  Campbell  should  deserve  and  sustain,  as  he  did,  the 
character  and  reputation  of  one  of  the  most  worthy  and 
efficient  company  commanders  in  such  a  regiment  was 
what  his  old  comrades  of  the  n6th  would  expect  of  him, 
and  was  the  fitting  close  of  an  honorable  and  gallant  mili 
tary  record. 

On  the  1 3th,  General  Mclntosh,  of  the  cavalry,  made  a 
dash  up  the  Berryville  pike,  and  captured  the  whole  of  the 
8th  South  Carolina  regiment  of  infantry,  numbering  four 
teen  officers  and  ninety-two  men.  He  captured  two  officers 
and  thirty-five  men  besides,  which,  it  was  said,  represented 
no  less  than  six  different  Virginia  mounted  organizations. 
George  E.  Pond,  Esq.,  in  his  "Shenandoah  Valley  in  1864," 
gives  the  number  present,  for  duty,  in  Terry's  brigade  of 


1 68  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

Gordon's  division  at  this  time  as  858,  and  states  that  the 
brigade  consisted  of  fourteen  Virginia  regiments.  York's 
brigade,  of  the  same  division,  he  says,  had  on  Avigust  2Oth, 
1864,  present  for  duty,  614  officers  and  men,  and  that  the 
brigade  consisted  of  ten  Louisiana  regiments.  These  fig 
ures  show  how  depleted  were  the  ranks  of  many  rebel  reg 
iments  at  that  time. 

On  the  night  of  the  i3th,  another  sad  occurrence  took 
place  in  the  n6th.  It  seems  that  a  camp  guard,  half 
dreaming,  fired  his  gun,  which  badly  wounded  two  men  of 
company  A.  One  of  them,  Private  Wilson  Danford,  had 
his  leg  amputated,  and  afterwards  died.  The  man  who 
fired  the  gun  was  subsequently  found  to  be  insane. 

On  the  1 4th,  Lieutenant  Gottlieb  Sheifley,  of  company 
K,  obtained  leave  of  absence  on  the  ground  of  dangerous 
illness  of  his  wife.  Instead  of  going  home,  he  went  straight 
to  Washington,  and  tendered  his  resignation  in  person  to 
President  Lincoln.  The  President  looked  at  him  a  mo 
ment,  and  then  sat  down  and  endorsed  his  resignation  as 
follows : 

"  To  E.  M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War : 

"  Accept  this  man's  resignation.    An  officer  who  will  tender  his  resignation  in  per- 
sen  to  the  President,  does  not  know  enough  to  be  in  the  service. 

A.  LINCOLN." 

But  Lieutenant  Sheifley  was  out  of  the  service,  which 
was  what  he  most  wanted,  just  at  that  time  of  great  prom 
ise  of  hard  fighting.  To  say  that  our  officers  were  indig 
nant,  when  they  heard  of  his  conduct,  but  faintly  expresses 
their  feelings. 

On  the  1 4th  of  September,  General  Anderson  again 
started  for  Richmond,  taking  with  him  Cutshaw's  artillery, 
and  leaving  General  Fitzhugh  Lee's  cavalry,  this  time 
passing  through  Chester  Gap,  thus  avoiding  the  risk  of 
another  accidental  battle  on  the  way.  Sheridan  heard  of  it 
the  evening  of  the  i5th.  Now  was  Sheridan's  opportunity, 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  169 

and  we  will  soon  see  how  he  improved  it.  On  the  i8th, 
we  received  orders  to  be  ready  to  march  next  morning. 
That  evening  surgeon's  call  was  given,  with  the  view  of 
sending  all  not  lit  for  duty  to  the  rear.  Private  Charles 
Fulton,  of  company  E,  reported,  among  others,  to  be 
excused  and  sent  back,  but  the  Doctor  refused  to  excuse 
him.  He  started  for  his  tent,  but  before  going  100  feet, 
he  fell  to  the  ground  dead.  It  was  afterwards  ascertained 
that  he  died  of  heart  disease,  though  nothing  of  the  sort 
was  before  suspected.  His  death  created  a  great  sensation 
in  the  regiment,  and  a  great  outcry  was  made  against  our 
Surgeon,  Dr.  Shannon,  but  when  the  true  state  of  the  facts 
were  known,  the  feeling  against  him  at  once  subsided. 

On  the  1 6th  of  September,  the  army  was  visited  by 
General  Grant,  though  few  knew  it  until  long  afterwards 
outside  of  General  Sheridan  and  his  staff..  Seeing  that  all 
Sheridan  wanted  was  permission  to  attack  the  enemy,  Gen 
eral  Grant  gave  him  the  laconic  order,  "  Go  in,"  and  re 
turned  to  City  Point.  Three  days  afterwards  the  great 
battle  of  Opequan  was  fought  and  won. 

The  6th  and  I9th  corps  took  the  advance  towards  Win 
chester,  before  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the  ipth.  Firing 
commenced  before  they  wrere  fairly  started,  and  increased 
in  volume  until  noon,  when  the  steady  roar,  which  indicates 
the  heavy  engagement,  set  in.  We  were  held  in  reserve 
where  the  Berryville  pike  crosses  the  Opequan,  until  about 
2  P.  M.,  when  we  hurriedly  pushed  to  the  front.  Crossing 
the  creek,  we  passed  rapidly  forward,  along  a  narrow 
gorge  skirted  by  woods.  The  road  was  crowded  with 
artillery,  caissons,  ammunition  wagons,  ambulances,  pris 
oners,  wounded  men,  field  hospitals,  and  all  the  clebris 
which  indicates  a  hard  battle  at  the  front.  With  difficulty 
we  made  our  way  through  all  this,  and  about  3  o'clock  we 
formed  in  a  ravine  behind  a  piece  of  woods,  in  front  of 
which  was  a  brigade  of  the  ipth  corps,  heavily  engaged 


I7O  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

and  fronting  the  enemy's  left  wing.  Marching  forward  in 
two  compact  lines,  we  passed  through  the  woods,  to  the 
right  of  the  ipth  corps'  brigade.  Our  division  was  on  the 
left  in  two  lines,  the  second  on  the  right,  in  the  same  form 
ation,  and  the  n6th  in  its  accustomed  place,  on  the  left  in 
the  front  line.  Before  our  arrival  on  the  field,  the  6th  and 
ipth  corps  had  met  with  a  reverse,  the  first  and  second 
lines  having  been  driven  back  to  the  third  before  a  check 
was  given  to  the  enemy.  General  Sheridan,  getting  his 
batteries  into  a  position  from  which  they  were  enabled  to 
silence  the  enemy's  guns,  his  lines  again  advanced,  and 
retook  the  position  from  which  they  had  been  driven,  and 
held  it  until  the  arrival  of  General  Crook.  "Then,"  as  a 
historian  remarks,  "followed  one  of  the  most  fiercely  con 
tested  battles  of  the  war."  Large  bodies  of  cavalry  were 
forming  to  our  right  for  a  charge,  as  we  were  taking  our 
position,  and  just  as  we  moved  forward,  away  the  great 
mass  went  around  the  rebel  left.  As  soon  as  the  move 
ment  began,  several  bands  struck  up  the  liveliest  and  most 
soul  stirring  music.  It  was  a  very  novel  and  thrilling 
scene. 

Scarcely  were  our  guns  loaded,  and  our  bayonets  fixed, 
before  the  bugles  sounded  the  charge,  which  was  repeated 
by  every  officer  in  the  two  lines,  and,  with  a  loud  cheer,  our 
whole  corps  threw  itself  with  desperate  valor  upon  the 
enemy's  left  wing  and  flank.  For  thirty  minutes  the  battle 
that  ensued  was  perfectly  terrific,  but  then  the  forces  in  our 
front  gave  way,  and  in  an  instant  we  were  over  their  works, 
and  after  them  with  yells  and  shouts  of  victory.  The 
enemy's  line  still  remained  intact  to  our  left.  All  the  way 
across  in  the  charge,  the  n6th  received  an  enfilading  fire 
from  it,  which  turned  back  its  left  to  such  an  extent  that 
when  it  reached  the  enemy's  works,  the  left  wing  went 
over  them  almost  by  the  flank.  Changing  front  now  to 
the  left,  under  fire,  and  without  even  stopping  to  adjust  our 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

line,  or  waiting  for  others  to  join  us,  we  charged  down 
upon  the  enemy's  flank  behind  his  works,  and  before  he 
had  time  to  change  front  to  meet  us,  our  bullets  were  whis 
tling  down  his  line,  and  we  were  upon  him  with  the  bayo 
net.  We  swept  his  line  out  from  behind  his  wrorks  for  a 
long  distance,  in  fact,  clear  down  to  a  stone  wall  which  ran 
at  right  angles  to  his  first  line,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 
where  we  first  charged  on  his  flank.  The  loth  West  Vir 
ginia  regiment,  from  the  second  line,  had  been  sent  in  on 
their  flank  just  before  we  reached  the  rebel  works,  but  we 
were  only  a  moment  behind  it  in  its  support.  Driving  the 
rebels  out  from  their  works  in  these  woods,  and  seeing  that 
they  were  again  under  good  cover  behind  the  stone  wall  in 
our  front,  we  were  ordered  to  halt,  rest  and  re-form.  Our 
own  fire  in  front,  and  the  fire  of  a  brigade  of  the  ipth 
corps,  in  which  was  the  n6th  New  York,  on  their  flank, 
soon  drove  them  away  from  that  part  of  the  wall,  but  they 
still  held  it  further  to  our  right.  While  we  lay  here,  it  was 
with  the  greatest  difficulty  the  men  were  restrained  from 
making  another  charge,  so  eager  were  they  to  finish  the 
work  so  well  begun.  As  illustrating  the  ardor  and  enthusi 
asm  of  the  men,  Corporal  Henry  T.  Johnson,  of  company  H, 
who  was  a  color  bearer  that  day,  did  not,  and  would  not 
halt  when  the  command  was  given,  but  ran  on  several  rods 
to  the  front,  waving  his  colors,  and  calling  back  to  the  men 
to  "come  on."  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes  ordered  him  to 
return,  but  he  would  not  come.  Some  of  the  color  guard 
were  then  sent  forward  to  bring  him  and  the  colors  back  to 
the  regiment.  They  returned  without  him  or  the  colors, 
but  they  brought  the  following  message  from  the  Corporal 
to  the  Lieutenant  Colonel:  "Tell  Colonel  Wildes  to  come 
on!  We  can  finish  this  job  just  as  well  as  not,  and  capture 
those  d  —  d  rebel  flags."  And  there  he  remained,  holding 
his  colors  aloft,  midway  between  the  lines,  until  they  were 
riddled  with  balls,  and  he  was  severely  wounded.  When 


172  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

we  again  received  orders  to  move,  we  took  the  gallant 
wounded  Corporal  with  us,  he  still  clinging  to  his  colors 
with  one  arm,  the  other  being  disabled.  No  one  had  the 
heart  to  punish  him  for  disobedience  of  orders.  Moving  off 
to  the  right,  we  soon  charged  the  rebel  line  again,  driving 
it  from  the  stone  wall  mentioned  above.  Again  advancing, 
we  formed  in  front  of  the  enemy's  inner  and  last  line.  In 
forming  the  new  line,  our  regiment  in  the  prolongation,  was 
placed  on  a  side  hill,  facing  a  rebel  battery,  which  at  once 
opened  fire  upon  us.  We  were  within  very  close  range, 
and  every  discharge  brought  their  missies  very  close  to 
our  ranks.  Word  was  sent  to  Colonel  Wells,  and  permis 
sion  asked  to  advance  to  the  rise  of  ground,  on  the  crest  of 
which  the  rebel  battery  was  planted,  but  before  a  reply 
could  be  returned,  shells  began  to  drop  among  us,  and  the 
regiment  was  ordered  to  advance  to  a  place  pointed  out, 
directly  under  the  guns,  but  protected  from  them  by  the 
formation  of  the  ground.  It  ran  down  the  hill,  and  up  the 
next  slope  until  near  the  top,  when  the  men  lay  down  and 
crawled  along  until  they  got  sight  of  the  battery,  upon 
which  they  now  opened  a  rapid  fire,  and  very  soon  entirely 
silenced  it,  bv  shooting  down  some,  and  keeping  the  rest  of 
the  gunners  from  the  guns.  Here,  again,  the  officers  had 
difficulty  in  holding  the  men  from  charging  the  battery, 
which  they  had  now  silenced  by  their  fire,  and  which 
seemed  an  easy  prize.  But  we  had  already  moved  forward 
several  rods  without  orders,  and  a  second  such  move  might 
bring  down  upon  us  the  wrath  of  our  brigade  commander, 
especially  should  disaster  follow  our  further  advance.  It  is 
probable  we  should  have  charged  the  battery  anyhow,  had 
not  Colonel  Wells  sent  an  aide  up  to  reprimand  us  for  mov 
ing  forward  without  orders,  and  directing  us  to  advance  no 
further  till  ordered  to  do  so.  At  this  juncture,  Custer 
came  gallantly  sweeping  down  the  right,  inside  the  enemy's 
works.  Then  it  would  have  required  more  than  orders  to 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  173 

keep  us  from  attempting  to  be  the  first  to  reach  those  guns, 
and  away  the  regiment  dashed  in  splendid  style,  the  brave 
young  aide  joining  us,  and  scaling  the  parapet,  we  flung 
our  colors  over  the  guns.  Almost  at  the  same  instant,  the 
whole  of  the  infantry  dashed  forward  on  a  furious  charge, 
and  the  battle  of  Opequan  was  won,  and,  as  Sheridan  tele 
graphed  to  Washington  that  night,  "the  enemy  was  sent 
whirling  through  Winchester."  Three  thousand  prisoners, 
fifteen  battle  flags,  five  pieces  of  artillery,  two  of  those  in 
the  works  we  charged,  were  the  trophies  of  the  victory. 

The  loss  of  our  army  was  about  5,000  killed  and 
wounded,  that  of  the  rebels  about  4,000.  They  abandoned 
their  dead  and  wounded,  leaving  3,000  of  the  latter  in  Win 
chester,  and  their  dead  on  the  field.  The  n6th  lost  six 
killed,  and  twenty-nine  wounded,  as  follows: 

KILLED. 

Orville  S.  Hetzer,  Company  B;  Lewis  C.  Secoy,  Company  B;  Charles  Sehafer, 
Company  E;  Corporal  Peter  Yoho,  Company  F;  John  A.  McElwee,  Company  H  ;  George 
Sigler,  Company  K. 

WOUNDED. 

Corporal  Jerome  McVeigh,  Company  A,  neck,  slight;  John  Drake,  Company  A, 
loot,  severe;  John  Hoy,  Company  A,  thigh,  severe;  James  H.  Stewart,  Company  B, 
stomach,  slight;  Corporal  D.  F.  Sears,  Company  C,  head,  severe;  Emmon  H.  Beard- 
more,  Company  C,  head,  severe;  Jacob  Mishnack,  Company  C,  thigh,  severe;  Wm. 
Montgomery,  Company  C,  thigh,  slight ;  W.  W.  Wheaton,  Company  C,  groin,  slight 
Second  Lieutenant  W.  H.  Moseley,  Company  H,  thigh,  severe;  Corporal  Henry  T. 
Johnson,  color  bearer,  arm,  severe;  Mathew  R.  Moore,  Company  H,  leg,  severe;  John 
W.  Williams,  Company  H,  leg,  severe;  Isaiah  Tribby,  Company  H,  shoulder,  severe; 
Yoho  Watson,  Company  H,  head,  severe;  Israel  L.  Hamilton,  Company  D,  leg,  severe; 
Peter  Beaver,  Company  D,  thigh,  severe;  Sergeant  Mathew  Atkinson,  Company  E,  leg, 
severe;  Milton  Mozenn,  Company  E,  head,  severe;  Dallas  Gillmore,  Company  E,  side, 
severe;  Corporal  Lewis  W.  Mozena,  Company  E,  arm,  severe;  I.  Phelps,  Company  F, 
groin,  severe;  Joshua  Mercer,  Company  F,  ankle,  severe;  Samuel  R.  Halliday,  Com 
pany  G,  leg,  severe;  J.  H.  Harman,  Company  G,  finger;  John  J.  Norris,  Company  I, 
foot,  severe;  William  McNeil,  Company  K,  arm,  severe;  Daniel  D.  Weddle,  Company 
K,  knee,  severe. 

All  of  these  were  severely  wounded,  except  four,  namely : 
Jerome  McVeigh,  James  H.  Stewart,  Wm.  Montgomery, 
and  W.  W.  Wheaton,  Lieutenant  Moseley  was  made  a 


1 74  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

cripple  for  life,  from  a  very  severe  wound  received  in  the 
thigh.  He  was  a  most  excellent  officer  in  every  sense. 
His  genial,  good  natured  disposition,  made  him  friends  of 
all  who  rnet  him,  and  he  was  greatly  missed  ever  after 
wards  by  us  all.  The  loss  of  the  u6th  would  have  been 
very  much  larger  in  the  first  charge,  owing  to  the  enfilad 
ing  fire  of  the  enemy,  but  for  a  rail  fence  on  our  left,  and 
for  the  relief  given  us  by  the  gallant  roth  West  Virginia. 
Some  of  our  officers,  who  went  over  the  field  after  the  bat 
tle,  to  bury  the  dead  and  care  for  the  wounded,  reported 
that  fence  "  a  paying  lead  mine."  That  night  we  went  into 
camp  on  the  spot  near  Winchester,  upon  which  we  had 
camped  twice  before  since  starting  out  in  the  spring. 

This  battle  was  a  very  important  one  to  the  Union 
cause.  The  President  ordered  100  guns  to  be  fired  by  all 
the  Union  armies,  in  honor  of  Sheridan  and  his  victorious 
troops.  The  feeling  of  rejoicing  among  our  men,  especially 
in  Crook's  corps,  was  almost  beyond  bounds.  It  was  our 
first  solid  victory  since  the  battle  of  Piedmont,  though  in 
that  time  we  had  fought  seven  or  eight  battles.  Early  said 
in  his  report :  "  As  soon  as  the  firing  was  heard  in  rear  of 
our  left  flank,  the  infantry  commenced  falling  back  along 
the  whole  line."  President  Lincoln  telegraphed  Sheridan: 

Have  just  heard  of  your  great  victory.    God    bless  you  all,   officers  and  men. 
Strongly  inclined  to  come  up  and  see  you. 

A.  LINCOLN. 

The  day  after  the  battle,  President  Lincoln  gave  to 
Sheridan  the  merited  appointment  of  Brigadier  General  in 
the  regular  army. 

Colonel  Wells  says,  in  his  report  of  the  battle  of 
Opequan:  "As  Colonel  Duval's  division  arrived  on  our 
right,  we  were  ordered  to  charge.  This  order  came  so 
suddenly  that  I  had  only  time  to  leave  word  for  the  34th 
Massachusetts  to  follow,  leap  the  fence,  and  go  on  with  the 
three  regiments  forming  the  front  line.  As  we  charged 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  175 

through  the  oblong  field,  we  met  a  severe  enfilading  fire 
from  the  woods  on  the  left.  I  asked  Colonel  Wildes  to 
change  front  with  his  regiment,  n6th  Ohio,  and  clear  the 
woods.  The  men  were  going  forward  with  such  enthusi 
asm,  however,  that  it  seemed  impossible  to  make  them  un 
derstand,  and  I  pointed  out  the  danger  to  the  commander  of 
a  regiment  of  the  second  line,  the  loth  West  Virginia,  fol 
lowing  close  behind.  He  immediately  changed  direction, 
came  upon  our  left,  and  was  soon  hotly  engaged  in  the 
woods.  Colonel  Wildes  also  succeeded  in  turning  his  regi 
ment  under  fire,  and  went  to  the  support  of  the  loth. 
Leaving  this  issue  behind  us,  the  balance  of  my  command, 
strongly  re-enforced  by  a  portion  of  the  3d  brigade,  passed 
the  woods  on  our  left,  and  came  into  the  plain.  Here  I  saw 
that  the  enemy,  driven  from  his  first  position,  was  forming 
behind  a  high  stone  wall  which  ran  across  the  field  at  right 
angles  with  that  of  our  advancing  line.  His  right  was 
about  1,000  yards  from  the  wood,  his  left  extending  toward 
the  Martinsburg  pike.  Along  this  line  artillery  was  posted, 
and  in  the  rear  of  it,  upon  a  knoll,  was  an  earth-work,  with 
rifle-pits  in  which  were  two  guns.  About  400  yards  in 
front  of  this  line,  and  parallel  with  it,  was  a  low  stone  wall. 
I  immediately  threw  my  men,  now  thoroughly  exhausted 
by  their  long  run,  behind  this  wall.  Soon  after,  Colonel 
Wildes  came  out  of  the  woods,  and  formed  on  our  left. 
Here  the  battle  hung,  it  seemed  to  me,  for  hours.  The 
artillery  was  playing  upon  our  lines  from  three  different  di 
rections,  one  battery  being  not  more  than  500  yards  distant. 
The  rebels  had  the  advantage  in  numbers,  position  and 
cover,  and  their  fire  seemed  to  increase  in  intensity  every 
minute.  The  right  flank  was,  however,  wholly  exposed, 
and  I  was  looking  every  moment  for  the  6th  corps  to  make 
its  appearance  there,  and  held  on.  Colonel  Thoburn  came 
along  the  line,  and  informed  me  this  movement  was  about 
to  be  made,  and  that  General  Crook  desired  our  forces  to 


176  .  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

charge,  the  moment  the  flanking  force  should  appear. 
While  he  was  speaking,  the  34th  Massachusetts,  on  the 
right,  impatient  at  their  constant  and  increasing  loss,  sprang 
to  their  feet,  and  started  for  the  rebel  battery  alone.  Almost 
the  same  moment,  the  long  looked  for  movement  was  made, 
and  our  whole  line  went  forward  with  a  cheer,  and  the 
rebels  were  driven  from  the  \vall  in  utter  rout.  The  bat 
tery  in  the  earth- work  still  remained,  and  enough  of  the 
enemy  with  it  to  give  us  a  heavy  fire  as  we  advanced  to 
the  wall  recently  held  by  the  enemy.  Halting  here  for  a 
while,  I  was  again  ordered  forward,  and  moved  the  brigade 
down  into  the  hollow,  and  within  300  yards  of  the  battery. 
The  1 1 6th  Ohio  had  an  excellent  position  on  the  left,  from 
which  they  were  enabled  to  fire  directly  upon  the  pieces 
and  horses.  We  hung  here  again  for  some  time,  the  ipth 
corps  forming  a  line  behind  the  stone  wall  in  our  rear,  and 
the  6th  corps  at  some  distance  to  the  left.  Finally  Ouster's 
cavalry  made  a  dashing  charge  upon  the  right,  sweeping 
around,  almost  into  the  earth-works.  Now  the  whole  line 
went  forward  again,  and  the  battle  was,  to  all  intents  and 
purposes,  at  an  end.  *  *  *  Major  Pratt,  commanding 
the  34th  Massachusetts,  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes, 
commanding  the  n6th  Ohio,  handled  their  regiments  with 
great  courage  and  skill,  and  in  all  the  confusion  of  the 
charges,  kept  their  commands  together  and  in  good  order." 
—  Colonel  Wells'  report,  September  2ot/i,  1864. 

The  i pth  corps  had  suffered  terribly  up  to  3  o'clock. 
On  the  right,  especially,  their  loss  was  fearful.  As  we 
passed  their  right  to  our  position,  our  regiment  came  upon 
the  n6th  New  York.  There  was  a  mutual  recognition  of 
the  regiments  on  the  flags,  and  some  of  the  officers  of  the 
two  regiments  shook  hands.  "God  bless  you!  How  we 
have  watched  for  your  coming.  WV11  watch  our  old  num 
ber  go  in,  and  may  victory  crown  it,"  said  one  of  its  officers, 
as  we  passed  by. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  1 77 

Major  J.  W.  DeForest,  of  the  I2th  Connecticut,  whose 
regiment  belonged  to  the  ipth  corps,  and  which  lay  close 
by  where  our  division  made  its  charge,  gives  a  very 
graphic  account  of  it  in  Harper's  Monthly  Magazine  for 
January,  1865.  I  quote  from  his  article  as  follows:  "At 
3  o'clock  the  hour  of  defeat  for  Early  had  come.  To  our 
right,  where,  precisely,  I  could  not  see,  because  of  the  roll 
ing  nature  of  the  ground,  but  in  the  direction  of  the  spot 
where  our  ist  brigade  was  forming,  those  prostrate  and 
bloody  ranks  which  I  have  mentioned,  we  heard  a  mighty 
battle  yell,  which  never  ceased  for  ten  minutes,  telling  us 
that  Crook  and  his  men  were  advancing.  To  meet  the 
yell,  there  arose  from  the  farthest  sweep  of  the  isolated 
wood,  where  it  rounded  away  to  the  rebel  rear,  the  most 
terrific,  continuous  wail  of  musketry  that  I  ever  heard.  Jt 
was  not  a  volley,  nor  a  succession  of  volleys,  but  an  unin 
terrupted  explosion,  without  a  single  break  or  tremor.  As 
I  listened,  I  despaired  of  the  success  of  the  attack,  for  it  did 
not  seem  to  me  possible  that  any  troops  could  endure  such 
a  fire.  The  Captain  of  our  right  company,  who  was  so 
placed  that  he  could  see  the  advance,  afterwards  described 
it  to  me  as  magnificent  in  its  steadiness,  the  division  which 
accomplished  it,  moving  across  the  open  fields  in  a  single 
line,  without  visible  supports,  in  spite  of  the  stream  of  dead 
and  wounded  which  dropped  to  the  rear,  the  pace  being 
ordinary  quick-step,  and  the  men  firing  at  will,  but  rarely." 
Speaking  of  the  last  charge  made  by  us  upon  the  position 
occupied  by  the  rebels  in  and  around  the  fort,  or  earth 
work,  containing  the  two  guns  we  captured,  the  same 
writer  says:  "At  the  distance  of  half  a  mile  from  us,  too 
far  away  to  distinguish  the  heroism  of  individuals,  but  near 
enough  to  observe  all  the  grand  movements  and  results,  the 
last  scene  of  the  victorious  drama  was  acted  out.  Crook's 
column  carried  the  heights  and  the  fort  which  crowned 
them.  We  could  see  the  long,  dark  line  moving  up  the 

12 


178  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

stony  slopes;  we  could  see  the  smoke  and  hear  the  clatter 
of  musketry  on  the  deadly  summit;  then  we  could  hear  our 
comrades'  cheer  of  victory." 

General  Crook,  in  his  report  of  the  battle  of  Opequan, 
says:  "I  was  instructed  by  General  Sheridan  to  place  my 
command  on  the  right  and  rear  of  the  I9th  corps,  and  to 
look  out  for  my  right,  as  the  enemy  was  reported  to  be 
moving  in  that  direction.  I  directed  Colonel  Joseph  Trio- 
burn,  commanding  ist  division,  to  take  post  nearly  on  the 
prolongation  of  the  ipth  corps,  which  was  opposite  the  ex 
treme  left  of  the  enemy.  Colonel  J.  H.  Duvall,  command 
ing  the  2d  division,  was  posted  still  further  to  the  right,  for 
the  purpose  of  swinging  round  the  left  flank  of  the  enemy. 
Colonel  Duvall's  right,  in  thus  swinging  round,  came  in 
sight  of  the  enemy's  skirmishers,  and  finally  a  portion  of  the 
main  body  of  General  Torbert's  cavalry  came  sweeping 
down  on  the  enemy,  and  protecting  my  right  flank.  Just 
before  Colonel  Duvall's  division  got  fairly  around,  Colonel 
Thoburn's  division  made  a  charge,  driving  the  enemy's 
right  back  in  confusion  to  their  final  position.  Colonel 
Duvall,  after  getting  squarely  around,  charged  the  enemy 
in  flank,  and  found  him  strongly  posted  behind  a  stone  wall, 
with  his  left  flank  resting  on  an  almost  impassable  morass 
named  Red  Bud  Run,  which  it  was  necessary  for  him  to 
cross.  The  rough  and  uneven  ground,  the  tangled  thickets 
on  the  banks  of  this  slough,  and  the  great  difficulty  experi 
enced  by  the  men  in  crossing,  as  it  was  very  deep  and 
miry,  broke  the  lines  completely,  and  mingled  the  men  of 
the  different  regiments  and  brigades  into  one  throng.  With 
out  halting  to  form,  after  having  crossed,  the  officers  and 
men  of  the  2d  division  united  with  those  of  the  ist,  which 
had  now  closed  in,  sending  many  prisoners  to  the  rear,  and 
the  whole  command,  cheering  as  it  went,  rushed  on,  heed 
less  of  the  destructive  fire  of  shot  and  shell,  canister  and 
musketry  that  thinned  their  ranks,  and  which  would  have 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 

driven  back  in  disorder  troops  less  determined,  all  seem 
ingly  intent  on  one  grand  object,  the  total  rout  of  the 
enemy.  In  this  they  were  successful,  as  the  enemy  gave 
way  in  great  confusion  before  their  determined  assaults, 
and  but  for  the  morass  impeding  their  progress,  the  2d  di 
vision  would  have  captured  many  more  prisoners  in  this 
charge.  The  enemy  left  two  pieces  of  artillery  in  our 
hands  when  he  fled,  being  so  closely  pressed  that  he  could 
not  take  them  off." — General  Crook's  report ,  October  ijth, 
1864. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


TLE     OF     FISHERS     HILL ANOTHER    CHARGE LIST    OF 

CASUALTIES EXTRACTS     FROM      REPORTS    OF     COLONEL 

WELLS,  GENERAL    SHERIDAN  AND  GENERAL    CROOK,  ALSO 

GENERAL     EARLY TARDY    JUSTICE     DONE    TO    CAPTAIN 

JOHN  VARLEY,  OF  COMPANY  E MARCH  TO  HARRISON- 
BURG DEATH  OF  LIEUTENANT  MEIGS  —  BUILDINGS  OR 
DERED  BURNED ORDER  REVOKED  AS  TO  DAYTON. 

The  morning  after  the  battle,  bright  and  early,  we 
started  up  the  Valley  road,  over  which  we  had  before  so 
often  marched.  Arriving  at  Cedar  Creek,  we  found  the 
enemy  behind  his  entrenchments  on  Fisher's  Hill.  The 
army  took  the  position  it  left  on  the  i6th  of  August.  The 
position  of  Early  at  Fisher's  Hill  was  one  of  great  natural 
strength.  It  extended  from  the  north  fork  of  the  Shenan- 
doah  at  Three  Top  of  the  Massanutten  Mountains  to  Little 
North  Mountain.  The  mountains  on  each  flank  were  ap 
parently  inaccessible,  and  formed  a  perfect  protection  to  his 
flanks,  while  the  abrupt  heights  on  which  his  lines  were 
entrenched  seemed  to  combine  to  make  his  position  impreg 
nable.  But  from  this  strong  position,  Sheridan  made  im 
mediate  preparations  to  drive  him.  After  a  good  deal  of 
maneuvering  for  position,  and  a  good  deal  of  night  march 
ing  by  our  corps,  the  army,  at  noon  on  the  22d,  lay  as 
follows:  Crook's  corps  in  rear  of  the  6th  corps,  and  the 
ipth  corps  on  the  left.  And  now,  while  the  6th  and  ipth 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  l8l 

corps  made  demonstrations  on  the  left,  centre  and  right,  and 
while  Averill  drove  in  the  rebel  skirmishers  and  held  them 
close  up  to  the  rebel  works  on  the  right,  Crook  moved  out 
to  the  extreme  right,  out  of  sight,  under  cover  of  woods 
and  ravines.  Here  in  the  woods  we  threw  off  and  piled  up 
our  knapsacks,  arranged  canteens  and  bayonet  scabbards 
so  that  no  noise  wrould  be  made  by  them,  and  in  the  light 
est  kind  of  marching  order,  started  up  the  steep,  thickly 
wooded  side  of  Little  North  Mountain.  Ascending  for  a 
half  mile  or  more,  we  turned  abruptly  to  the  left,  and 
silently  moved  south,  along  the  face  of  the  mountain,  each 
division  in  two  lines,  side  by  side.  About  3  r.  M.,  we  got 
squarely  on  the  enemy's  flank,  with  our  left  past  his  en 
trenchments.  Now  fronting,  we  started  quietly  down  the 
mountain  side,  our  division  on  the  left,  and  the  2d  on  the 
right.  The  n6th,  being  in  its  old  position,  on  the  extreme 
left,  and  in  the  front  line,  could  now  see,  through  an  occa 
sional  open  space,  that  we  were  going  in  with  our  left  just 
inside  the  rebel  works.  It  gave  us  a  fair  prospect  for  some 
hard  righting,  and  every  man  nerved  himself  for  the  shock 
soon  to  come.  But  now  we  were  discovered,  and  the 
enemy  opened  on  us  with  shot  and  shell.  Too  late!  The 
first  shot  was  the  signal  to  charge,  and  before  they  could 
make  any,  even  the  slightest,  preparations  to  meet  us,  we 
were  upon  them  with  the  bayonet.  Our  movement  was  a 
complete  surprise  to  them,  and  they  had  now  only  to  get 
out  of  our  way  or  surrender.  "  Had  the  heavens  opened," 
said  a  rebel  officer,  "and  you  been  seen  descending,  no 
greater  consternation  would  have  been  created."  Their 
artillery  was  captured,  their  left  turned  and  broken,  and 
rushing  on,  we  stripped  them  out  of  their  works,  like  the 
bark  from  a  tree. 

Colonel  Wells,  in  his  official  report  of  the  battle,  says: 
"The  n6th  Ohio  charged  the  battery  in  the  angle  of  the 


1 82  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

rebel  works,  received  its  fire  when  only  100  yards  from  it, 
never  wavered,  but  rushing  on,  captured  it  in  the  very 
smoke  of  its  discharge."-—  Colonel  Wells'  report,  September 
26th,  1864. 

Thence  we  went,  sweeping  down  their  works  like  a 
western  cyclone,  every  man  for  himself,  firing  whenever  he 
saw  a  rebel,  and  always  yelling  and  cheering  to  the  extent 
of  his  ability.  Being  closest  to  the  works,  we  were  con 
fronted  and  stopped  at  several  points  by  small  bodies  of  the 
enemy,  but  such  stops  were  only  momentary,  for  as  soon  as 
a  little  sharp  firing  was  heard  at  any  point,  the  men  \vould, 
of  their  own  accord,  concentrate  there,  and  in  a  few  mo 
ments  would  be  rushing  on  again.  At  the  moment  we 
charged  on  the  flank,  the  6th  and  ipth  corps  moved  on  the 
rebel  front,  and  now,  when  we  had  stripped  away  about  a 
mile  of  the  rebel  line,  the  heavy  columns  of  the  6th  corps 
came  on  over  the  works  by  our  side,  to  the  rear  and  in 
front  of  us.  Two  Ohio  regiments  with  the  6th  corps,  the 
noth  and  i22d,  with  which  we  were  once  brigaded,  came 
over  the  works,  as  the  n6th  and  12  3d  were  running  along 
inside,  and  partaking  at  once  of  our  enthusiasm,  pressed  on 
with  us,  after  giving  the  well  known  "  West  Virginia  yell." 
The  rebel  right  broke  in  dire  confusion,  on  the  approach  of 
the  ipth  corps,  and,  in  great  disorganization,  the  enemy  fled 
from  all  parts  of  the  field  towards  Woodstock,  abandoning 
artillery,  horses,  wagons,  muskets,  knapsacks,  canteens  and 
clothing,  which  the  pursuers  found  covering  the  roads  and 
fields.  Eleven  hundred  prisoners,  sixteen  pieces  of  artillery, 
a  great  many  caissons  and  artillery  horses,  and  a  large 
amount  of  small  arms,  were  captured.  The  rebel  loss  at 
Opequan  and  Fisher's  Hill  could  not  be  less  than  10,000 
men,  while  Sheridan's  did  not  exceed  5,500.  We  had  taken 
from  them,  besides,  twenty-one  pieces  of  artillery. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  183 

The  loss  of  the  i  i'6th  at  the  battle  of  Fisher's  Hill,  was 
one  killed  and  ten  wounded,  as  follows : 

KILLED. 

Sergeant  Edward  P.  Tiffany,  Company  B,  acting  Sergeant  Major  of  the  regiment. 
WOUNDED. 

Corporal  James  M.  Hartley,  Company  B,  head,  severely  ;  Corporal  James  H.  Stew. 
art,  Company  B,  arm,  severe  ;  John  McEIroy,  Company  B,  arm,  severe  ;  Thomas  South, 
Company  C,  severe;  Sergeant  James  K,  Drum,  Company  D,  thigh,  severe;  Christian 
Rhines,  Company  F,  foot,  severe  ;  Corporal  Edward  Lowry,  Company  G,  hand,  severe; 
Andrew  Powell,  Company  H,  hip,  severe;  Corporal  Joseph  Sechrist,  Company  H,  hip, 
severe ;  Samuel  H.  Cramblitt,  Company  I,  elbow,  severe. 

Sergeant  Tiffany  was  killed  by  a  stray  shot  at  the  pike, 
just  at  dark,  after  the  battle  was  all  over.  He  was  acting  as 
Sergeant  Major  of  the  regiment  at  the  time.  It  saddened 
the  heart  of  every  man  in  the  regiment  to  thus  lose  so  fine 
a  soldier.  Tiffany  was  well  liked  by  everybody,  and  was  a 
very  valuable  officer  at  headquarters.  He  was  a  very 
worthy  man  in  every  way,  well  beloved  at  home,  as  well  as 
in  his  regiment.  His  remains  were  decently  buried  where 
he  fell,  and  were  afterwards  removed  by  his  friends  to  his 
old  home  in  Meigs  County.  A  similar  sad  occurrence  took 
place  in  the  34th  Massachusetts.  That  regiment  camped 
near  us,  and  while  a  group  of  its  officers  were  standing 
around  a  fire,  talking  over  the  events  of  the  day,  their 
Major,  H.  W.  Pratt,  was  mortally  wounded  by  the  acci 
dental  discharge  of  a  musket.  It  seemed  a  terrible  fate. 
He  was  one  of  the  most  gallant  officers  and  perfect  gentle 
men  to  be  found  in  the  corps,  and  was  loved  as  few  officers 
ever  are  by  the  men  of  his  regiment.  These  two  deaths, 
occurring  as  they  did,  cast  a  gloom  over  the  camps  of  our 
brigade  that  night,  which  otherwise  would  have  been  so 
full  of  rejoicing. 

Our  regiment  captured  the  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the 
32d  Virginia  regiment.  As  he  was  being  escorted  to  the 


184  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

rear,  the  i3th  West  Virginia  regiment,  in  our  second  line, 
was  passed,  when  the  Confederate  officer  met  his  youngest 
son,  who  was  a  private  soldier  in  that  regiment.  They 
shook  hands,  embraced  and  parted,  the  father  to  go  to  a 
Northern  military  prison,  the  son  to  continue  in  the  contest, 
with  his  Union  regiment.  A  private  soldier  of  company  H, 
Leroy  D.  Brown,  now  superintendent  of  the  Union  Schools, 
of  Hamilton,  Ohio,  writes  this  incident,  also :  "  In  this  bat 
tle,"  Fisher's  Hill,  "  I  had  a  brother-in-law  who  belonged  to 
a  West  Virginia  cavalry  regiment.  He  had  a  brother  who 
belonged  to  a  rebel  battery  which  we  captured.  After  the 
war  closed,  it  was  ascertained  that  this  brother  was  killed 
at  Fisher's  Hill." 

Colonel  Wells  says,  in  his  report  of  the  battle  of  Fisher's 
Hill:  "The  country  was  a  succession  of  hills,  with  abrupt 
sides,  and  the  valleys  between  of  considerable  depth.  The 
enemy's  line  ran  directly  across  these  ridges,  on  each  of 
which  was  more  or  less  artillery,  which  had  full  play  on  us 
as  we  advanced.  I  directed  the  n6th  and  34th  to  keep 
along  the  left,  near  the  works,  and  followed  myself  the 
same  course.  The  enemy  formed  along  the  crest  of  these 
ridges,  and  with  musketry  and  artillery,  gave  us  a  hearty 
lire  as  we  came  on.  The  advance  would  be  stopped,  the 
lire  become  rapid  and  heavy,  more  would  come  up,  and  the 
battle  would  stand  still  and  increase  for  a  while,  when  the 
cheers  of  the  2d  division  on  our  right,  could  be  heard  sweep 
ing  on  behind  the  enemy's  position.  Our  line  would  gather 
force,  as  men  constantly  came  up,  and  were  directed  to  the 
critical  point,  and  the  enemy  would  soon  give  back  to  the 
next  crest,  to  repeat  the  same  efforts,  with  the  same  results. 
Upon  all  these  eminences  I  found  artillery,  hot  and  smok 
ing,  which  the  enemy  could  not  get  off.  He  saved  very 
few  of  the  pieces  which  were  behind  the  works  in  the 
woods.  I  saw  and  touched  four  brass,  and  more  than  as 
many  more  iron  guns,  before  any,  except  the  men  of  this 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  185 

corps,  had  reached  them.  *  *  *  I  cannot  speak  too 
highly  of  the  extreme  gallantry  of  the  officers  and  men  of 
the  brigade.  Colonel  Wildes,  Major  Pratt,  Major  Urban 
and  Captain  Chamberlain,  commanding  regiments,  all  did 
their  entire  duty'.  I  would  especially  call  attention  to  the 
gallant  charge  of  Colonel  Wildes'  regiment,  in  the  face  of 
the  artillery  fire"-  —  Colonel  Wells'  report,  September  2oth, 
1864. 

General  Sheridan  says,  in  his  report  on  the  Shenandoah 
Valley  campaign:  "At  Fisher's  Hill  it  was  again  the 
good  fortune  of  Crook's  command  to  start  the  enemy,  and 
of  General  Ricket's  division,  the  6th  corps,  to  first  gallantly 
swing  in,  and  more  fully  initiate  the  rout." 

General  Crook  says,  of  the  battle  of  Fisher's  Mill: 
"The  success  of  my  command  in  this  engagement,  as  well 
as  at  Opequan,  was  mainly  owing  to  the  individual  bravery 
of  officers  and  men,  who  are  entitled  to  much  credit.  *  *  * 
To  the  color  bearers  of  regiments,  I  tender  my  thanks  for 
the  example  they  set  their  fellow  soldiers,  both  in  this 
action  and  at  Opequan,  on  the  i9th,  as  the  stars  and  stripes 
in  their  hands  were  ever  to  be  seen  waving  close  upon  the 
rear  of  the  retreating  enemy,  anti  in  the  first  line  of  our  ad 
vancing  forces."  —  General  Crooks  report,  October  iSth, 


It  was  a  hurricane  battle,  and,  as  General  Crook  says, 
"its  success  was  mainly  owing  to  the  individual  bravery  of 
officers  and  men."  The  color  bearers,  at  least  of  the  n6th, 
well  deserve  the  praise  he  awarded  them. 

General  Early,  in  writing  to  General  Lee,  three  days 
after  the  battle,  said:  "The  enemy's  immense  superiority 
in  cavalry,  and  the  inefficiency  of  the  greater  part  of  mine, 
have  been  the  cause  of  all  my  disasters.  In  the  affair  at 
Fisher's  Hill,  the  cavalry  gave  way,  but  it  was  flanked. 


1 86  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

This  would  have  been  remedied,  if  the  troops  had  remained 
steady,  but  a  panic  seized  them,  at  the  idea  of  being 
flanked,  and,  without  being  defeated,  they  broke,  many  of 
them  fleeing  shamefully.  The  artillery  was  not  captured 
by  the  enemy,  but  abandoned  by  the  infantry.  My  troops 
are  very  much  shattered,  the  men  very  much  exhausted, 
and  many  of  them  without  shoes." 

All  day  the  22d,  Ricket's  division  of  the  6th  corps  had 
been  pushing  up  closer  and  closer  to  the  rebel  left.  About 
the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  it  finally  planted  itself  in  a 
good  position,  within  half  a  mile  of  the  enemy's  works. 
The  2d  division  then  closed  to  it  on  its  left,  and  the  I9th 
corps  worked  its  way  forward  to  the  same  line,  joining  on 
to  the  left  of  the  6th  corps.  The  skirmish  lines  of  both 
corps  being  strengthened,  pushed  the  enemy's  skirmishers 
back  close  up  to  their  works  on  Fisher's  Hill,  and  there 
they  were  held,  while  our  corps  was  making  its  silent  and 
secret  flank  movement.  Early  said  in  his  report,  that  when 
he  saw  this  advance  in  the  afternoon,  "orders  were  given 
for  my  troops  to  retire  after  dark,  as  I  knew  my  force  was 
not  strong  enough  to  resist  a  determined  assault."  But,  to 
use  Early's  expressive  words,  he  "retired  in  considerable 
confusion,  an  hour  before  dark,"  with  a  "shattered"  army. 

Our  brigade  was  left  to  guard  the  prisoners,  collect  the 
captured  property,  and  bury  the  dead,  while  the  rest  of  the 
army  moved  next  morning,  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy.  On 
the  24th,  we  started  to  rejoin  the  army,  now  at  Harrison- 
burg,  which  we  reached  on  the  26th,  in  charge  of  a  large 
train. 

Just  after  the  battle  of  Halltown,  on  the  26th  of  August, 
Captain  John  Varley,  company  E,  tendered  his  resignation, 
on  account  of  sickness  in  his  family.  It  was  not  accepted, 
but  he  was  summarily  dismissed  from  the  service,  for  ten 
dering  his  resignation  in  the  face  of  the  enemy.  After 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  187 

reaching  Harrisonburg,  the  following  paper  was  prepared 
and  sent  to  the  Secretary  of  War: 

CAMP  llGrii  REGIMENT  OHIO  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY, ~J 
NEAR  HARRISONBURG,  VIRGINIA, 

September  26th,  1864.     J 
Bon.  E.  M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War  : 

SIR: — We,  the  undersigned  officers  of  the  116th  Regiment,  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry, 
have  the  honor  to  submit  the  request  that  the  order  dishonorably  dismissing  Captain 
John  Varley,  of  our  regiment,  from  the  service  of  the  United  States,  be  so  mollified  as 
to  discharge  him  honorably.  We  do  this  in  view  of  his  gallant  conduct  in  the  recent 
battles  of  Berry  ville,  Opequan  and  Fisher's  Hill,  and  because  it  was  not  cowardice  that 
caused  him  to  tender  his  resignation  before  the  enemy,  but  because  of  a  severe  family 
affliction. 

Very  respectfully  your  obedient  servants, 

JOHN  HULL,  Captain  Co.  K.  PETER  DILLON,  Lieut.  Co.  D. 

WILLIAM  BIDDENHARN,  Lieut,  Co.  C.      H.  L.  KARR,  Captain  Co.  G,  and  A.  I.  G. 
W.  S.  MARTIN,  Lieut.  Co.  F.  1st  Brigade. 

R.  T.  CHANEY,  Captain  Co.'D.  THOMAS  J.  SHANNON,  Surgeon. 

JOHN  C.  H.  COBB,  Lieut.  Co.  G.  W.  B.  TETERS,  Captain  Co.  H. 

SAMUEL  D.  KNIGHT,  Lieut,  Co.  D.  JAMES  P.  MANN,  Captain  Co.  C. 

Captain  Varley  was  reinstated  and  honorably  discharged, 
some  time  after  the  war,  upon  all  the  field  officers  uniting  in 
a  recommendation  for  his  honorable  discharge,  and  after 
wards  he  represented  Washington  County  in  the  Ohio 
Legislature.  It  is  unquestionable  that  his  conduct  in  the 
battles  named,  was  of  the  most  gallant  and  daring  possible. 
Some  suspicion  of  bad  conduct  was  raised  against  him  in 
the  battle  of  Halltown,  but  that  was  afterwards  clearly  and 
satisfactorily  explained,  but  not  in  time  to  prevent  the  action 
which  resulted  in  his  dishonorable  dismissal.  It  was  unfor 
tunate,  and  very  much  regretted  by  all,  for  no  officer  had 
more  friends  in  the  regiment  than  Captain  John  Varley. 
But  it  was  a  dangerous  experiment  for  an  officer  to  tender 
his  resignation  in  that  armv  in  the  summer  of  1864,  no 
matter  what  the  reasons  were.  But  justice  was  finally 
done  him,  tardy  though  it  was,  and  he  owed  his  reinstate 
ment  and  honorable  discharge,  mainly  to  the  good  opinion 
of  the  brave  company  officers  who  had  served  beside  him 
through  the  most  trying  period  of  the  regiment's  history. 
It  is  but  just  to  say  of  Captain  Varley,  in  view  of  this  un 
fortunate  circumstance  in  his  military  history,  that  he  wa.s 


1 88  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

always  accounted  a  brave  and  efficient  officer.  On  the 
26th  of  August,  he  had  been  sent  with  his  company  on 
the  skirmish  line.  The  regiment  advanced  to  the  attack 
through  a  field  of  growing  corn.  Captain  Varley  mistook 
the  direction  in  some  way,  being  unable  to  see  the  regiment 
after  entering  the  corn,  and  did  not  cover  the  regiment  with 
his  skirmishers.  The  result  was,  that  the  regiment  struck 

o 

the  rebel  line  without  warning,  on  emerging  from  the  corn 
field,  which  might  have  proven  very  serious,  had  it  been 
strong.  Inasmuch,  however,  as  it  broke  at  our  first  fire, 
there  was  no  harm  done  that  time.  It  mortified  him  greatly 
though  to  be  criticised  for  the  error  he  had  committed,  and 
in  a  hasty  moment  he  tendered  his  resignation.  Tendering 
it  in  the  face  of  the  enemy  was  construed  to  mean  coward 
ice,  while  nothing  could  be  farther  from  the  real  truth. 
Under  other  circumstances  he  would  have  been  at  home 
with  his  family  some  time  before  that,  on  account  of  the 
severe  illness  of  some  member  of  it.  That  lie  and  his  com 
pany  were  selected  for  the  skirmish  line,  was  a  sufficient 
voucher  to  attest  his  bravery  and  skill  as  an  officer,  and 
every  comrade  rejoiced  when  the  stain  put  upon  him  was 
wiped  out  in  an  honorable  discharge. 

While  at  Harrisonburg,  we  were  very  short  of  rations 
much  of  the  time.  Officers,  especially,  had  great  difficulty 
in  getting  provisions.  Walker,  who  had  been  acting  as 
Sergeant  Major  since  Lee  was  wounded  at  Halltowrn,  un 
dertook  to  provide  for  headquarters.  Foraging  trains  were 
sent  out  daily,  and  with  these  Walker  and  Orderly  Webster 
were  sure  to  go.  He  writes  in  his  diary: 

"SEPTEMBER  27TH  —  Got  among  Dunkards  to-day. 
They  universally  seemed  scared  almost  to  death  when  they 
saw  us  coming.  One  woman  begged  us  not  to  take  her 
cow  or  sheep.  After  we  had  promised  her  time  and  again 
that  we  would  pay  her  for  everything  we  got,  she  would 
still  say:  'Yes,  take  everything  you  want,  but  leave  some 


ONfi    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  189 

for  the  others,  or  they  will  be  mad,  and  threaten  to  shoot 
us.'  Webster  and  I  each  got  three  large  loaves  of  bread, 
two  heads  of  cabbage,  beets,  tomatoes,  onions,  etc.  Were 
near  a  little  village  called  Dayton.  After  returning,  we 
learned  there  had  been  a  skirmish  there  during  the  after- 

O 

noon. 

"SEPTEMBER  2pth — -Orderly  Webster  and  I  went  out 
with  a  forage  train  this  p.  M.,  intending  to  go  to  the  same 
place  as  on  Tuesday,  but  learned  after  passing  the  pickets 
that  a  squad  of  our  men  had  been  attacked  there,  so  went 
off  toward  the  rnountains,  but  got  nothing.  This  evening 
there  is  a  great  light  toward  Staunton.  The  6th  and  ipth 
corps  \vent  up  there  this  morning,  or  rather  to  Mount 
Crawford. 

"SEPTEMBER  3OTH  —  Orderly  Webster  and  I  went  with 
the  forage  train  to-day.  After  passing  the  pickets  we 
'struck  out.'  It  is  amusing  to  hear  some  of  the  people 
talk.  One  old  lady  said:  'Are  you  not  going  to  have  a 
great  deal  of  trouble  at  your  elections  this  fall?'  I  told  her 
no,  we  were  going  to  have  the  most  unanimous  and  har 
monious  election  ever  held  in  the  country.  We  discussed 
the  respective  merits  of  the  United  States  and  Confederate 
currency,  the  latter  being  almost  worthless.  She  seemed 
sorry  I  had  said  anything  about  it.  We  returned  about 
i  P.  M.  with  a  bucketfull  of  honey,  one  of  apple  butter, 
bread,  sweet  potatoes,  cabbage  and  chickens,  a  pretty  good 
haul  for  one  day.  A  great  many  citizens  are  preparing  to 
return  with  us  when  we  go  back.  The  6th  and  ipth  corps 
have  come  back  from  Mount  Crawford." 

The  general  results  show  that  Walker  and  Webster 
were  good  foragers. 

Lying  at  Harrisonburg  a  couple  of  days,  the  n6th  was 
sent  out  to  Dayton  to  guard  some  mills  engaged  in  grind 
ing  grain  for  the  army.  Here  we  were  on  the  qui  vivc  day 
and  night,  the  rebel  cavalry  being  in  strong  force  in  the 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

vicinity,  with  which  our  cavalry  was  constantly  engaged. 
Bushwhackers  also  infested  the  roads  between  there  and 
Harrisonburg,  and  frequently  fired  on  small  parties  passing 
to  and  fro.  But  the  people  of  Dayton  were  as  fine  and 
loyal  a  people  as  wre  had  met  anywhere  in  the  South. 
They  were  very  kind  to  our  men,  and  their  kindness  was 
reciprocated  by  them.  But  neither  they  nor  we  knew  in 
what  good  part  these  friendly  relations  were  to  stand  them 
in  a  short  time. 

On  the  evening  of  the  3d  of  October,  as  Lieutenant 
Meigs,  of  General  Sheridan's  staff,  was  returning  to  Harri 
sonburg  from  Dayton,  he  was  ambushed  by  a  party  of 
bushwhackers,  about  midway  between  the  places,  and  killed. 
One  of  his  escort  galloped  back  to  our  camp  and  notified  us 
of  the  attack,  but  he  was  not  aware  of  the  killing  of  the 
Lieutenant.  A  strong  detachment  of  our  regiment  was 
sent  out  on  the  double  quick  to  the  place,  where  his  body 
was  found  by  the  roadside.  Shortly  afterwards  a  large 
body  of  cavalry  came  out  from  Sheridan's  headquarters, 
and  placing  his  body  in  an  ambulance,  carried  it  back  to 
Harrisonburg.  The  murderers  of  Lieutenant  Meigs  were 
instantly  hunted  far  and  wide.  He  was  a  son  of  Quarter 
master  General  Meigs,  was  a  young  officer  of  great  merit 
and  high  attainments,  giving  promise  of  a  brilliant  career  in 
the  army.  At  the  time  of  his  murder  he  belonged  to  the 
engineer  corps  of  the  regular  army,  and  occupied  the  posi 
tion  of  chief  of  engineers  on  Sheridan's  staff.  He  was 
greatly  loved  by  Sheridan,  and  he  determined  to  wreak  a 
terrible  vengeance  on  the  country  round  about  in  retaliation 
for  his  murder.  He  accordingly  issued  an  order,  which 
was  sent  to  the  cavalry  about  2  o'clock  on  the  morning  of 
the  5th,  and  also  to  us,  directing  that  every  house  be 
burned  within  five  miles  of  the  spot  where  he  was  murdered. 
This  included  the  village  of  Dayton,  and  the  burning  of  it 
devolved  upon  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes.  He  at  once 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  Ipl 

wrote  a  statement  to  General  Sheridan  of  the  character  of 
the  people  of  the  place,  and  urged  and  begged  him  to  re- 
'voke  the  order  in  so  far  as  Dayton  was  concerned.  This 
he  sent  in  at  once  by  a  messenger,  with  strict  injunctions 
to  hand  it  at  once  to  General  Sheridan  in  person.  The 
messenger  followed  his  instructions  strictly,  though  he  had 
hard  work  at  headquarters  to  pass  by  staff  officers  and 
guards  to  General  Sheridan's  private  quarters,  and  proba 
bly  would  not  have  succeeded,  had  not  the  General  over 
heard  the  wrangle  his  persistency  created.  The  General 
read  the  note  and  swore,  read  it  again  and  swore,  examined 
and  cross  examined  the  messenger.  He  was  in  great  grief 
over  the  death  of  his  valued  staff  officer,  and  terribly  de 
termined  that  the  people  of  the  vicinity  should  suffer  for  his 
murder,  for  he  well  knew,  as  we  all  did,  that  these  bush 
whacking  murderers  were  not  men  of  the  rebel  army,  but 
cowardly  citizens  who,  remaining  within  our  lines,  assem 
bled  together  to  commit  such  dastardly  deeds  as  this  at  un 
guarded  spots.  In  the  meantime,  the  citizens  of  Dayton 
were  notified  of  the  order,  and  given  permission  to  remove 
their  effects  from  their  houses.  Such  weeping  and  wailing 
as  went  up  from  the  poor  women  and  children  of  that  town 
we  hope  never  to  hear  again.  The  burning  of  the  place 
was  put  off  as  long  as  it  was  possible  to  do  so  under  the 
order,  and  so  was  fixed  for  noon.  Finally  General  Sheridan 
yielded  and  gave  the  messenger  an  order  to  carry  back,  re 
voking  his  former  order  as  to  the  village  of  Dayton.  The 
soldiers  had  helped  the  people  carry  out  their  goods,  which 
were  mostly  conveyed  to  a  slight  eminence  overlooking  the 
town.  Every  house  was  now  emptied,  and  the  poor  people 
sat  among  their  little  piles  of  household  effects,  the  very 
picture  of  despair,  awaiting  the  hour  when  their  houses 
should  be  given  up  to  the  flames.  In  the  country  all  about 
them,  the  dense  smoke  now  arising  in  all  directions  showed 
them  that  the  vengeful  order  was  being  executed.  But  the 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

messenger  finally  came  with  the  revoking  order.  Officers 
and  men  went  out  among  the  people  to  announce  the  good 
news  to  them  and  to  help  them  carry  back  their  goods. 
When  they  saw  them  coming,  they  thought  it  was  to  apply 
the  torch,  and  the  screams  of  women  and  children  were 
perfectly  heart  rending.  But  the  joy  that  succeeded  as 
soon  as  their  mission  was  understood,  was  so  sudden  and 
overcoming  that  many  of  the  poor  women  fainted,  and  the 
clapping  of  hands  and  shouts  of  gladness  of  the  little  chil 
dren  over  the  good  news  was  too  much  for  even  the  grim 
and  sturdy  old  soldiers.  The  sleeve  of  many  a  blouse  was 
wet  with  their  tears.  All  hands  turned  to  and  helped  to 
carry  everything  back  to  the  houses,  and  the  people  of 
Dayton  anyhow,  if  of  no  other  place  in  the  South,  believed 
there  were  at  least  some  Yankees  who  had  some  humanity 
in  them.  There  was  not  a  man  in  the  regiment  who  would 
not  have  faced  death  in  a  dozen  battles  rather  than  to  have 
burned  that  village  in  the  presence  of  those  weeping,  im 
ploring  and  helpless  women  and  children.  Hearing  during 
the  clay  that  we  were  to  move  in  the  morning,  a  great 
quantity  of  provisions  and  delicacies  were  prepared  by  the 
people  and  distributed  among  the  officers  and  men.  If  a 
n6th  Ohio  man  ever  happens  in  Dayton,  he  may  depend 
upon  a  warm  reception.  At  least  he  ought  to  have  one. 


— I  observe  in  Pond  s  "  Shenandoah  Valley  "  that  it  was  ascertained  after  the 
war  that  Lieutenant  Meigs  was  killed  by  an  enlisted  Confederate  soldier  of  Wickham's 
brigade  engaged  in  scouting,  but  the  belief  at  the  time  was  that  he  was  murdered  by 
bushwhackers.  This  but  adds  importance  to  the  intercession  made  by  the  116th  in  behalf 
of  Dayton  at  the  time  of  Lieutenant  Meigs'  death. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

MARCH  BACK  TO  CEDAR  CREEK DESTRUCTION  IN  THE  VAL 
LEY ELECTION  DAY  AT  CEDAR  CREEK BATTLE  OF 

STICKNEY  FARM DEATH  OF  COLONEL  WELLS LIST  OF 

CASUALTIES COLONEL  WILDES   IN    COMMAND  OF   THE 

BRIGADE BATTLE  OF  CEDAR  CREEK,  OCTOBER  IpTH  — 

DEFEAT  OP'  THE  MORNING SHERIDAN'S  ARRIVAL WE 

UGO  FOR  THEM"-— A  GLORIOUS  VICTORY — LIST  OF  CASU 
ALTIES REPORTS    OF    COLONEL    WILDES    AND    GENERAL 

CROOK A  REST PROMOTIONS AT  OPEQUAN  CROSSING 

—  THANKSGIVING    TURKEYS ORDERED     TO    THE    ARMY 

OF  THE  JAMES. 

The  next  morning  we  moved  back  to  Harrisonburg, 
where  we  found  the  rest  of  our  brigade  impatiently,  and 
with  some  anxiety  for  our  safety,  awaiting  us,  the  rest  of 
the  army  having  marched  some  hours  before  to  the  rear. 
Our  brigade  being  thus  in  the  rear,  remained  so  until  we 
reached  Fisher's  Hill,  on  the  pth.  This  retrograde  move 
ment  was  made  for  two  or  three  sound  reasons:  First,  be 
cause  we  were  so  far  from  our  base  of  supplies  that  it  re 
quired  a  very  large  force  to  keep  our  communications  open 
and  our  trains  properly  guarded.  Second,  because  Early 
had  been  again  re-enforced  by  Kershaw's  division  of  infan 
try,  Rosser's  brigade  of  cavalry  and  a  battalion  of  artillery. 
Third,  because  it  was  contemplated  sending  the  6th  corps, 
and  a  large  portion  of  the  cavalry,  to  Grant  upon  reaching 
Cedar  Creek,  the  Manassas  Gap  Railroad  being  in  course 
of  repair  for  the  purpose  of  transporting  the  infantry  to 
Washington. 

13 


Ip4  °NE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

Just  before  our  brigade  reached  Fisher's  Hill,  the  rebel 
cavalry  under  General  Rosser  advanced  so  far  as  to  get  on 
the  left  flank  of  the  infantry  column,  but  a  mile  or  more 
distant,  near  Round  Top,  on  the  back  road.     Our  brigade 
prepared  for  action.     Our  regiment  being  in  the  rear,  at 
once  faced  about,  and  moving  some  distance  further  back, 
turned  in  the  direction  of  the  rear  of  Rosser's  position,  with 
whom  Custer  was  now   hotly  engaged.     Other   bodies  of 
our  infantry  were  brought   back  and   formed   on   Fisher's 
Hill.     We  had   approached  very  close   to  his   rear,  when 
Custer  attacked  him  in  full  force,  and  the  report  spreading 
among  Rosser's  men  that  the  infantry  was  at  the  same  time 
flanking   them,  which  was  a  fact,  they   immediately   gave 
way  and  broke  into  a  stampede,     Custer  pursued  them  for 
over  twenty  miles.     At  the  same  time  Merritt  had  attacked 
Lromax  on  the  Valley  pike.     From  our  position  on  Round 
Top  both  cavalry  fights,  which  were  going  on  at  the  same 
time,  were   in   plain  view.     The  rebels  under   Lorn  ax  and 
those  under   Rosser,  though   fighting   independent   battles, 
some  distance  from  each  other,  broke  about  the  same  time, 
and  the  pursuit  was  on  parallel  roads,  that  on  the  pike,  es 
pecially,  being  in  plain   hearing  and  view  of   the  infantry 
support.     The    low,    rumbling,   steady   roll    of    resounding 
hoofs,  which  fairly  shook  the  earth,  the  reports  of  artillery, 
the  explosion  of   shells  and   the   quick   thudding   sound   of 
heavy  carbine  firing,  added  to  which  were  the  cheers  and 
shouts  of  the  pursuing   host,  combined   to   form   the  most 
animating  and  exciting  scene  we  ever  witnessed.     In  all  our 
experience  and  observation  in  the  war,  nothing  approached 
it  in  grandeur  and  sublimity.     General  Sheridan  viewed  it 
from  Round  Top  near  us,  and  it  was  said  at  the  time  that, 
when  he  heard  of  the  capture  of  eleven  pieces  of  artillery, 
he  offered  a  reward  of  $500  for  the  capture  of  the  twelfth. 
At  any  rate  the  pursuit  could  not  have  been  more  spirited, 
had  there  been  a  reward  offered  for  the  capture  of  Rosser 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  1 95 

himself.  Rosser's  temerity  in  pushing  onto  the  flank  of  the 
infantry  at  this  time  cost  him  350  prisoners,  eleven  pieces 
of  artillery,  four  caissons,  an  ammunition  train,  a  great 
quantity  of  small  arms  and  a  number  of  wagons,  including 
the  headquarters  wagons  of  Rosser,  Lomax  and  others,  am 
bulances  and  400  horses,  besides  many  killed  and  wounded. 

General  Torbert,  speaking  of  the  battle,  which  is  known 
in  history  as  the  battle  of  Tom's  Brook,  says:  "The  cav 
alry  totally  covered  themselves  with  glory,  and  added  to 
their  long  list  of  victories  the  most  brilliant  one  of  them  all, 
and  the  most  decisive  the  country  has  ever  witnessed." 

General  Sheridan  telegraphed  Grant  concerning  it:  "I 
directed  Torbert  to  attack  at  daylight  this  morning  and  fin 
ish  this  '  Savior  of  the  Valley.'  *  *  *  The  enemy,  after 
being  charged  by  our  gallant  cavalry,  broke  and  ran. 
They  were  followed  by  our  men  on  the  jump  twenty-six 
miles,  through  Mount  Jackson  and  across  North  Fork  of 
the  Shenandoah.  I  deemed  it  best  to  make  this  delay  of 
one  day  here  and  settle  this  new  cavalry  general." 

Pond,  in  his  "Shenandoah  Valley,"  says  of  this  battle: 
"The  engagement  at  Tom's  Brook  was  a  fine  offset  to  the 
check  received  by  'Torbert  at  Millford,  for  the  same  two 
Union  divisions  had  now  routed  the  combined  divisions  of 
Lomax  and  Rosser,  inflicting  a  loss  of  about  400  men,  while 
Torbert  had  but  nine  men  killed  and  forty-eight  wounded. 
Some  of  the  artillery  was- fresh  from  the  Tredegar  Works, 
and  with  the  five  guns  taken  at  Winchester,  the  sixteen  at 
Fisher's  Hill  and  eleven  at  Tom's  Brook,  point  was  given 
to  the  jest  that  cannon  sent  from  Richmond  to  the  Valley 
were  marked  'P.  H.  Sheridan,  care  of  General  Early."' 

In  falling  back  from  Harrisonburg,  Sheridan  stretched 
his  cavalry  clear  across  the  Valley,  and  destroyed  all  the 
hay,  grain  and  forage  of  every  kind  beyond  what  was  nec 
essary  for  his  army.  This  was  done  in  pursuance  of  orders 
from  the  Government.  A  correspondent,  who  was  present 


196  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

on  the  march,  thus  describes  some  of  the  scenes  witnessed: 
"The  atmosphere  from  horizon  to  horizon  has  been  black 
with  a  thousand  conflagrations,  and  at  night  a  gleam 
brighter  and  more  lurid  than  sunset  has  shot  from  every 
verge.  The  orders  have  been  to  destroy  all  forage  in 
stacks  and  barns,  and  to  drive  the  stock  before  for  the  sub 
sistence  of  the  army.  The  execution  of  these  orders  has 
been  perfect;  the  completeness  of  the  desolation  has  been 
awful.  This  is  war;  terrible,  horrible  war.  Hundreds  of 
nearly  starving  people  are  going  North.  Our  trains  are 
crowded  with  them.  They  line  the  wayside.  Hundreds 
more  are  coming.  Not  half  the  inhabitants  of  the  Valley 
can  subsist  on  it  in  its  present  condition.  Absolute  want  is 
in  mansions  used  in  other  days  to  extravagant  living.  But 
in  no  instance,  except  in  that  of  the  burning  of  dwellings 
within  five  miles  in  retaliation  for  the  murder  of  Lieutenant 
Meigs,  have  orders  been  issued  for  the  burning  of  houses, 
or  have  such  orders  been  sanctioned  by  General  Sheridan." 
And  General  Sheridan,  in  a  dispatch  dated  October  7th, 
says:  "The  whole  country,  from  the  Blue  Ridge  to  the 
North  Mountain,  has  been  made  untenable  for  a  rebel  army. 
I  have  destroyed  over  2,000  barns  filled  with  wheat,  hay 
and  farming  implements,  over  seventy  mills  filled  with 
wheat  and  flour.  Four  herds  of  cattle  have  been  driven 
before  the  army,  and  not  less  than  3,000  sheep  have  been 
killed  and  issued  to  the  troops.  This  destruction  embraces 
the  Luray  and  Little  Fork  Valleys,  as  well  as  the  main 
Valley." 

On  the  nth  we  reached  camp  at  Cedar  Creek,  where 
we  voted  for  State  and  County  officers  in  Ohio,  under  the 
law  authorizing  soldiers  to  vote  in  the  field.  No  election 
anywhere  was  ever  conducted  more  fairly  and  honestly 
than  this  one.  About  noon  Generals  Sheridan  and  Crook 
rode  down  to  the  polls  of  the  36th  Ohio  and  voted.  When 
they  galloped  off  to  return  to  their  headquarters,  they  were 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  1 97 

lustily  cheered   by   the   men.     The  vote  of   the    u6th   for 
Congressman  was  as  follows: 

Plants,  (Rep.)  220 

Morris,  (Dem.)  -       70 

Hon.  James  R.  Morris  was  a  brother  of  our  Major,  and 
was  very  popular  with  the  regiment. 

Early  followed  us  down  the  Valley,  and  took  up  his  old 
position  on  Fisher's  Hill  on  the  I3th.  We  occupied  ours 
along  Cedar  Creek.  The  day  before,  the  nth,  Sheridan 
had  started  the  6th  corps  to  Washington,  and  it  was  now 
at  Front  Royal,  where  Sheridan  ordered  it  to  await  further 
orders.  The  12th  he  ordered  it  to  move  down  the  Valley 
and  pass  through  Ashby's  Gap,  instead  of  through  Man- 
assas  Gap,  to  Piedmont,  fifteen  miles  beyond,  to  which 
point  the  Manassas  Gap  Railroad  had  been  repaired. 

On  the  1 3th,  the  enemy  appeared  on  our  right,  and  the 
front  of  the  ipth  corps,  the  other  side  of  the  creek  on 
Hupp's  Hill.  They  opened  with  artillery  on  our  camps, 
throwing  several  shells  into  that  of  the  3d  brigade,  and  one 
or  two  into  ours.  The  ist  and  3d  brigades  of  Thoburn's 
division  were  sent  over  to  feel  of  the  enemy  and  develop 
his  strength.  Between  the  knoll  on  which  our  division  was 
camped  and  Hupp's  Hill,  from  which  the  rebel  artillery  was 
firing,  was  a  piece  of  low,  open  ground,  which  the  batteries 
swept,  but  the  n6th  never  moved  steadier  than  it  did 
through  this  plunging  fire  of  shot  and  shell,  only  two  men, 
whom  I  shall  not  name  here,  falling  out  of  ranks  and  taking 
shelter  behind  a  friendly  log.  Crossing  this  space  and  the 
creek,  we  moved  straight  towards  the  saucy  batteries,  the 
3d  brigade  on  the  right,  ours  on  the  left. 

"It  became  evident  to  both  brigades  that  Early  was  in 
force,  but  the  rage  for  capturing  guns  had  seized  Sheridan's 
army,  andThoburn's  men  went  forward,  through  the  plung 
ing  fire  from  the  brow  of  Hupp's  Hill,  until  Early  was 


198  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

forced  to  throw  out  Kershaw's  infantry,  Conner's  brigade 
leading,  to  check  them." — Shenandoah   Valley  in  1864.. 

Our  brigade  formed  behind  a  stone  wall,  and  opening 
fire  checked  and  drove  back  the  enemy.  But  the  3d  bri 
gade  was  driven  back,  and  there  being  an  intervening  space 
between  the  brigades,  we  did  not  know  it,  until  the  enemy 
advanced  on  our  right  flanks.  The  left  wing  of  our  regi 
ment  was  now  thrown  forward  along  a  stone  wall,  running 
perpendicular  to  our  line  of  battle,  and  opening  fire  across 
to  the  right,  we  checked  the  advance  of  Conner,  and  cleared 
the  front  of  a  body  of  rebels  about  making  a  charge  on  the 
brigade.  The  right  of  the  34th  Massachusetts  was  broken 
and  driven  back.  Lieutenant  Ballard,  in  trying  to  reach 
our  brigade  to  order  us  back  after  the  3d  had  retired,  had 
his  horse  shot,  and  thus  the  order  did  not  reach  us  before 
the  enemy  struck  our  right.  At  this  juncture,  a  large  force 
came  down  upon  the  left  occupied  by  the  n6th,  and  the 
whole  brigade  was  driven  back  amid  a  furious  shower  of 
balls.  We  were  obliged  to  retreat  across  a  wide,  open 
field,  and  the  loss  of  our  brigade  was  veivy  severe  for  a  skir 
mish,  as  it  was  called,  being  over  200,  the  34th  Massachu 
setts  alone  losing  over  100  men.  We  fell  back  to  a  piece 
of  woods,  where  we  re-formed,  and  the  enemy  soon  with 
drawing  to  Fisher's  Hill,  we  returned  to  our  camp.  The 
loss  of  the  1 1 6th  was  one  killed,  seven  wounded  and  five 
taken  prisoners,  as  follows: 

KILLED. 

Corporal  Dickerson  Archer.  Company  D. 

WOUNDED. 

Royal  Phelps,  Company  G;  Jesse  Frazer,  Company  G,  arm  shot  off';  James  E. 
Bullock,  Company  G;  Jehiel  Graham,  Company  G,  hip,  disabled  for  life;  John  W. 
Hall,  Company  D,  arm;  Leroy  D.  Brown,  Company  H,  knee;  John  Rush,  Company  E. 

PRISONERS. 

Wm.  A.  Ferrell,  Company  D;  Samuel  King,  Company  F;  Orderly  Sergeant  Charles 
A.  Cline,  Company  E;  George  W.  Wiley,  Company  E;  Joseph  A.  Hall,  Company,  E. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 


99 


This  battle,  known  by  the  name  of  "Stickney  Farm," 
was  replete  writh  suprises.  Only  the  day  before,  the  cav 
alry  had  gone  up  the  Valley  ten  or  twelve  miles  without 
finding  any  enemy.* 

It  seems  that  Powell,  in  the  Luray  Valley,  had,  a  day 
or  two  before,  reported  Early  at  Craig's  Creek,  between 
Brown's  Gap  and  Waynesboro.  Several  reconnoisances  of 
the  infantry,  one  by  our  brigade,  made  on  the  i2th,  reported 
no  enemy  near.  So,  to  have  a  lot  of  big  shells  dropped 
into  our  camps  just  as  we  were  sitting  down  to  our  dinners, 
when  we  didn't  think  there  was  a  Confederate  cannon 
within  miles  of  us,  was,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  rather  sensa 
tional.  Then,  when  we  went  out  to  see  what  it  was  all 
about,  to  be  met  by  Kershaw's  infantry,  batteries  in  posi 
tion,  and  all  the  rest  of,  Early's  army  in  sight  on  Hupp's 
Hill,  and  to  rind  ourselves  repulsed,  before  we  had  time  to 
take  in  the  situation,  or  "view  the  landscape  o'er,"  was 
altogether  so  startling  and  sudden  a  visitation  as  to  make 
us  wonder,  not  only  how  this  surprise  happened,  but  what 
would  be  the  next  thing  in  order  for  old  Early  to  treat  us  to. 

Colonel  Wells,  of  the  34th  Massachusetts,  and  Lieuten 
ant  Dempsey  were  killed.  The  death  of  Colonel  Wells 
was  a  severe  stroke  to  his  gallant  regiment  and  a  great  loss 
to  the  service.  He  was  one  of  the  very  best  officers  in 
Crook's  corps.  He  was  a  natural  soldier,  and  as  brave 
and  gallant  an  officer  as  there  was  in  our  army.  By  his 
discipline  and  incessant  drill  he  had  made  the  34th  Massa 
chusetts  one  of  the  very  best  regiments  in  the  service.  It 
was  as  steady  as  a  rock  in  battle,  and,  as  long  as  any  troops 
could  stay  on  a  battle  line,  they  would  be  found  there. 
Always  cool,  intelligent,  effective  and  heroically  steady  and 
firm,  Colonel  Wells  had  the  genius,  so  largely  developed  in 


*"  October  12th  I  sent  reconnoisances  from  the  1st  and  3d  divisions  up  the  Valley 
pike  and  the  back  road  for  ten  or  twelve  miles,  but  could  find  no  signs  of  the  enemy." 
—  TorbcrVs  Report, 


2OO  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

General  Sheridan,  of  imbuing  his  men  with  his  own  daring 
and  soldierly  qualities.  He  occupied  a  high  position  in  the 
esteem  of  the  people  of  Massachusetts,  as  he  deserved,  and 
his  death  was  deeply  mourned  in  all  parts  of  the  State. 
The  day  after  the  battle,  his  body  was  obtained  under  a 
flag  of  truce  and  sent  to  his  home  in  Massachusetts,  accom 
panied  by  an  escort  from  his  noble  regiment.  Colonel 
Wells  was  bre vetted  Brigadier  General  a  few  days  before 
his  death,  the  commission  reaching  the  army  a  few  days 
after  his  death.  All  felt  it  a  pity  that  he  could  not  have 
lived  to  realize  that  his  services  had  been  appreciated,  and, 
at  last,  rewarded. 

The  death  of  Colonel  Wells  placed  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Wildes  in  command  of  the  brigade,  the  n6th  thus  being 
left  in  command  of  Captain  W.  B.  Teters,  a  brave  and  effi 
cient  officer,  and  one  thoroughly  qualified  from  his  long 
service  to  command  with  credit  to  himself  and  honor  to  the 
regiment.  He  commanded  it  from  this  time  to  the  close  of 
the  war.  The  brigade  at  this  time  consisted  of  the  34th 
Massachusetts,  the  2d  battalion  of  the  5th  New  York  heavy 
artillery,  the  1236.  and  n6th  Ohio. 

This  demonstration  of  the  enemy  satisfying  Sheridan 
that  he  was  being  again  menaced  by  Early's  re-enforced 
army,  he  ordered  the  6th  corps,  now  at  Ashby's  Gap,  to 
return,  which  it  did  next  day,  going  into  camp  to  the  right 
and  rear  of  the  ipth  corps.  Up  to  this  time  it  was  sup 
posed  that  Early  was  far  up  the  Valley,  certainly  no  nearer 
than  New  Market,  and  some  reports  located  him  near 
Brown's  Gap,  as  before  stated.  On  the  i5th  Sheridan 
started  for  Washington  to  hold  a  long  deferred  conference, 
taking  with  him  Merritt's  division  of  cavalry,  which  was  to 
be  joined  by  Powell's  at  Front  Royal,  from  which  point 
both  were  to  go  upon  an  expedition  under  General  Torbert 
to  destroy  the  Virginia  Central  Railroad  about  Charlottes- 
ville  and  Gordonsville,  always  a  favorite  project  of  General 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  2OI 

Grant.  Upon  Sheridan's  arrival  at  Front  Royal,  he  was 
overtaken  by  a  messenger  from  General  Wright,  whom  he 
had  left  in  command  at  Cedar  Creek,  bearing  the  following 
dispatch  taken  from  the  rebel  signal  station  on  Three  Top: 

To  Lieutenant  General  Early : 

be  ready  to  move  as  soon  as  my  forces  join  you,  and  we  will  crush  Sheridan. 

LONGSTREET,  Lieutenant  General. 

While  thinking  this  was  a  ruse,  still  General  Sheridan, 
deeming  it  best  to  be  on  the  safe  side,  ordered  back  the 
cavalry  to  Cedar  Creek,  while  he  proceeded  on  his  way  to 
Washington,  at  the  same  time  cautioning  General  Wright 
to  be  on  the  alert,  to  "look  well  to  his  ground,  and  be  well 
prepared."  It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  from  Three 
Top  the  rebels  could  see  our  whole  camp  and  every  move 
ment  taking  place  in  it,  and  from  this  point  it  was  that 
Early  and  Gordon  planned  for  us  the  surprise  of  the  morn 
ing  of  the  i  pth,  which  we  are  now  approaching.  It  would 
be  difficult  to  exaggerate  the  importance  of  Three  Top  as  a 
lookout  station.  It  gave  a  perfect  birds-eye  view  of  our  en 
tire  position  and  of  the  whole  Valley  down  as  far  as  Win 
chester.  On  the  1 8th  our  brigade  made  a  reconnoisance  to 
the  left  and  another  brigade  of  our  division  made  one 
towards  Strasburg  and  Fisher's  Hill,  but  no  sign  of  any 
movement  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  was  discovered. 

On  the  night  of  the  i8th,  Sheridan,  on  his  way  back, 
lodged  at  Winchester.  The  position  of  the  army  was  at 
this  time  the  same  as  heretofore  stated.  Behind  Crook's 
left,  and  at  right  angles  with  it,  lay  Kitching's  provisional 
division,  with  a  view  to  protect  the  flank.  Thoburn's  di 
vision  lay  a  half  mile  in  advance  of  the  left  of  the  ipth 
corps.  Hayes'  division  lay  in  reserve  behind  Thoburn's, 
and  half  a  mile  distant  from  it.  To  guard  against  surprise, 
the  North  Fork  was  picketed  by  Powell's  cavalry  from 
Cedar  Creek  to  Front  Royal,  nine  miles  distant,  on  our  left. 


2O2  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

Artillery  was  posted  on  the  line  of  the  ipth  corps  and  on 
ours,  one  battery  being  stationed  to  the  right  of  our  bri 
gade,  in  front  of  General  Harris'  3d  brigade.  But  for  some 
unknown  reason  the  fords  on  North  Fork  on  our  left,  and 
the  road  and  fords  at  the  foot  of  Massanutten  Mountain  on 
our  front,  were  not  guarded  by  the  cavalry  on  the  night  of 
the  1 8th,  which  left  no  cavalry  on  that  flank  nearer  than 
Buckton  Ford,  two  and  a  half  miles  distant  from  the  infan 
try  pickets.  But  no  one  believed  Early  would  venture  on 
an  attack  after  so  many  severe  defeats,  and  it  is  more  than 
probable  that  these  places  had  been  neglected  for  some 
time,  and  probably  never,  since  our  recent  occupation,  had 
they  been  properly  guarded.  Had  they  been  so  guarded 
before,  it  is  incredible  that  Early  could  find  out  in  time  to 
make  the  move  that  he  did,  that  on  the  night  of  the  i8th 
alone  they  were  left  unguarded.  The  reasonable  presump 
tion  is  that  Early  had,  through  his  scouts  and  disloyal  citi 
zens,  learned  of  our  habitual  neglect  to  guard  them,  and 
hence  his  movement  on  the  night  of  the  i8th,  which  we  are 
about  to  relate. 

Soon  after  midnight  Early,  having  arranged  his  troops 
unperceived  at  the  foot  of  Massanutten  Mountain  and  at 
Fisher's  Hill,  set  them  in  motion  toward  Sheridan's  lines. 
His  cavalry  and  light  artillery  advanced  against  the  right  of 
the  6th  corps  and  the  cavalry  on  the  right  about  day  light. 
His  infantry  marched  in  three  columns,  the  first  of  which, 
composed  of  Gordon's,  Ramseur's  and  Pegram's  divisions, 
placed  themselves  before  daybreak  on  the  left  rear  of  the 
whole  Federal  position.  Kershaw  got,  about  the  same 
time,  close  under  the  intrenched  rising  ground,,  on  which  lay 
Crook's  corps,  and  Wharton  advanced  upon  the  front  of  the 
i pth.  Word  was  sent  to  General  Crook  from  Kitching's 
division  that  his  pickets  had  heard  the  rustling  of  under 
brush  and  the  tramp  of  men  in  their  front  about  2  o'clock 
in  the  morning.  Captain  John  F.  Welch,  who  was  then  on 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  2O3 

Thoburn's  staff,  heard  musket  firing  at  3  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  and  awakening  Thoburn  told  him  what  he  had 
heard.  Both  listened  for  some  time,  but  heard  no  more. 
Captain  Welch  heard  firing  again  between  4  and  5?  imme 
diately  followed  by  a  volley  and  by  artillery  in  their  front. 
This  last  firing  was  the  opening  of  the  rebel  advance  upon 
the  first  division  of  Crook's  corps.  Our  brigade*  was 
aroused  by  our  camp  guard,  .which  we  never  failed  to  keep, 
about  4  o'clock,  as  the  rebel  columns  struck  our  pickets  in 
our  front,  when  there  occurred  enough  firing  to  give  the 
alarm.  But  the  5th  New  York  heavy  artillery  battalion 
was  captured  almost  entire  on  the  picket  line  in  our  front, 
only  one  officer  and  twelve  men  escaping.  The  pickets 
were  not  fired  upon,  and  the  rush  made  upon  them  was  so 
sudden  that  their  fire  was  only  very  scattering.  The  mo 
ment  the  alarm  wras  given  our  teams  were  hitched  up, 
\vagons  loaded  and  our  headquarters  stuff,  and  much  of  our 
camp  equipage  sent  to  the  rear.  Skirmishers  were  sent 
out  in  our  front,  which  soon  met  the  enemy  silently  advanc 
ing  through  the  woods.  I  at  once  dispatched  Captain  Karr 
to  division  headquarters.  With  Lieutenant  Dissoway,  of 
my  staff,  I  rode  to  the  brigade  on  our  right,  which  we 
found  in  their  beds.  Some  good,  vigorous  efforts  wrere 
made  to  arouse  them.  There  stood  the  guns  of  the  battery 
with  only  a  sentinel  over  them,  and  only  a  man  now  and 
then  of  the  infantry  or  artillery  could  be  roused  up  enough 
to  ask  " What's  up?"  or  "Who  the  h  — 1  are  you?"  See 
ing  we  could  do  nothing  with  these  sleepy  fellows,  we  rode 
rapidly  back  to  our  brigade,  which  we  had  scarcely  reached 
before  the  storm  burst  in  front  and  on  both  flanks.  The 
mist  and  fog  was  so  heavy  that  you  could  hardly  see  the 
length  of  a  regiment.  The  enemy  came  over  the  works  on 
both  flanks  unopposed,  but  we  met  the  rebel  advance  with 
so  hot  a  fire  that  it  fell  back  in  our  front,  which  <rave  us 

'  o 

opportunity  to  move  out  unmolested.     The  34th  Massachu- 


204  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

setts  was  on  the  right  of  our  brigade,  and  when  the  rebels 
came  over  the  works  on  their  right  they  were  struck  so 
suddenly  and  heavily  on  the  flank  that  they  broke,  and 
becoming  involved  with  the  utterly  stampeded  and  broken 
masses  of  the  surprised  brigade  and  battery  on  their  right, 
fell  back  in  confusion.  The  n6th  and  12 3d  stuck  together 
and  oegan  falling  back  towards  the  pike,  where  it  was 
touched  by  the  ipth  corps,  about  a  mile  distant.  They 
were  hard  pressed  the  entire  distance,  but  kept  in  good 
shape,  delivering  their  fire  to  the  rear  or  either  flank  as  the 
rebels  approached,  and  checking  the  pursuit  sufficient  to 
get  off  our  trains.  We  formed  a  line  across  the  field  just 
after  rising  out  of  the  ravine,  about  1,000  yards  in  front  of 
Thoburn's  headquarters,  and  facing  about  opened  fire  on 
the  enemy,  now  pouring  down  the  hill  on  the  opposite  side. 
We  checked  his  advance  for  a  short  time,  but  now  a  heavy 
line  came  out  of  the  woods  square  on  our  left,  and  by  this 
force  we  were  pressed  to  the  right  off  the  high  ground  we 
were  following.  Back  of  Thoburn's  headquarters  to  our 
rear  was  a  piece  of  woods  in  which  we  intended  to  make 
another  stand,  but  it  was  already  occupied  by  the  enemy. 
The  enemy  now  pressed  us  hard  until  we  reached  the  pike, 
but  not  a  man  broke  from  the  ranks,  and  we  rose  on  to  the 
pike  with  a  firm  line. 

Lieutenant  C.  M.  Keyes,  in  his  excellent  history  of  the 
1 2  3d  Ohio,  says  of  that  morning  attack  and  of  the  position 
and  action  of  our  brigade.  "At  half  past  four  on  the 
morning  of  the  ipth  of  October,  the  regiment  was  routed 
out  by  a  straggling  picket  fire  in  our  front.  The  word  was 
passed  along  that  the  enemy  was  advancing,  and  the  men 
quietly  fell  into  line  along  the  breastworks.  The  other  bri 
gades,  however,  failed  to  observe  the  warning,  or  were  too 
slow  in  falling  in.  The  rebels  easily  turned  the  right  of 
our  corps,  getting  over  the  wrorks  with  little  or  no  opposi 
tion,  many  of  the  men  being  still  asleep  in  their  tents. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  2C>5 

Some  resistance,  however,  was  made  by  our  brigade,  the 
only  one  in  the  division  not  surprised.  We  fell  slowly  back, 
the  broken  ranks  of  the  other  brigades  rallying  upon  our 
line." 

General  Lincoln,  in  his  history  of  the  34th  Massachu 
setts,  confirms  this  statement  in  every  particular,  saying: 
"At  first  sound  of  the  attack  our  own  regiment  and  brigade 
fell  into  line  behind  our  breastworks  and  made  such  resist 
ance  as  was  possible." 

Upon  reaching  the  pike,  we  were  met  by  General 
Emory.  The  enemy  now  filled  the  woods  behind  us,  not 
over  300  yards  from  where  we  struck  the  pike  at  the  left  of 
General  Emory's  line,  but  he  had  not  yet  made  prepara 
tions  to  protect  his  flank.  We  informed  him  of  what  was 
coming,  and  of  the  situation  of  affairs  on  his  left.  His  re 
ply  was  an  order  for  our  two  regiments  to  charge  into  the 
woods.  We  formed  at  once  for  the  charge,  for  which  the 
most  we  could  hope  would  be  time  for  the  ipth  corps  to 
turn  its  line  to  meet  the  enemy.  Every  officer  and  man  in 
our  little  band  knew  he  was  going  to  meet  overwhelming 
numbers  in  those  woods,  but  they  never  hesitated.  Fixing 
bayonets,  we  started  on  the  way  back  down  the  hill  from 
the  pike,  and  as  we  started  to  ascend  to  the  woods,  raised 
the  old  }Tell  and  dashed  forward.  Just  after  we  started, 
General  Wright  rode  out  in  our  front  and  most  gallantly 
led  the  charge.  We  advanced  close  to  the  edge  of  the 
woods,  where  we  met  with  a  terrible  fire  and  a  counter 
charge  from  ten  times  our  number,  which  swept  us  back 
again  to  the  pike.  General  Wright  was  wounded  in  the 
face,  and  came  back  bleeding  freely.  He  displayed  great 
personal  courage,  but  gallant  as  he  and  the  men  who  fol 
lowed  him  were,  they  were  obliged  to  give  way  before  the 
awful  fire  they  met  at  the  edge  of  the  woods.  Falling  back 
again  to  the  pike,  we  found  the  ipth  corps  changing  front 


2O6  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 

to  the  rear  along  down  the  pike,  and  a  division  of  the  6th 
cprps  coming  up  on  the  double  quick. 

A  correspondent  on  the  ground  wrote,  at  the  time,  of 
the  action  of  our  brigade  up  to  this  point:  "Lieutenant 
Colonel  Wildes,  of  the  n6th  Ohio,  who  was  in  command  of 
a  brigade,  had  his  men  in  line  and  had  sent  word  to  Gen 
eral  Wright  of  the  enemy's  approach  when  the  storm  burst, 
sweeping  away  two  of  his  regiments  at  once,  and  pushing 
the  rest  back  in  a  storm  of  balls  in  flank  and  rear.  Failing 
to  find  General  Crook,  he  reported  the  n6th  and  i23d  to 
General  Emory,  and  was  sent  into  the  fight,  where  he  and 
his  noble  men  made  a  glorious  record." 

High  praise  indeed,  but  none  too  high  for  the  two  regi 
ments  which  so  nobly  stood  together  that  morning,  till 
dashed  to  pieces  against  the  strong  lines  of  the  enemy  in 
this  charge,  and  in  the  brave  stands  afterwards  made  on 
other  parts  of  the  field.  Wharton  had  come  up,  and  was 
now  engaging  the  ipth  corps  in  front,  with  Gordon,  Ram- 
seur  and  Pegram  coming  onto  the  pike  still  further  to  the 
left,  they  having  routed  Kitching  and  Hayes.  Reaching 
the  pike,  our  broken  ranks  rallied,  and  hearing  that  General 
Crook  had  made  a  stand  at  a  point  near  Sheridan's  head 
quarters,  a  short  distance  beyond  the  pike,  we  fell  back 
there.  Here  were  gathered  fragments  of  Crook's  corps, 
and  here  were  Crook  and  his  staff,  Hayes  and  his  staff,  and 
a  large  number  of  officers  striving  with  might  and  main  to 
stem  the  tide  of  disaster.  We  had  scarcely  taken  our  posi 
tion  here,  before  the  division  of  the  6th  corps  we  had  seen 
going  to  the  front, 'and  the  left  of  the  ipth  corps  came  fall 
ing  back  in  considerable  confusion.  These  troops  passed 
mainly  to  our  left,  and  formed  at  the  new  position  now 
being  taken  by  the  army,  some  distance  in  our  rear.  Our 
corps,  having  formed  on  favorable  ground,  now  advanced 
to  push  back,  if  possible,  or  at  least  to  check  the  rebel  ad 
vance,  until  the  trains  could  be  got  off,  and  especially  until 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  2C»7 

the  contents,  of  Sheridan's  headquarters  could  be  loaded  up 
and  run  off.  We  checked  the  advance  of  the  enemy,  and 
pushed  him  back  a  short  distance,  and  I  think  the  very 
hardest  and  most  stubborn  fighting  of  the  day  took  place 
here.  We  were  fighting  Kershaw's  and  Wharton's  rebel 
divisions.  The  proportion  of  officers  to  the  number  of  men 
in  our  line  was  very  large.  Probably  not  over  1,5°°  en~ 
listed  men  of  Crook's  whole  corps  were  engaged,  while 
there  was  fully  one-fourth  that  many  line  and  staff  officers. 
A  great  many  line  and  staff  officers  took  muskets,  and  lay 
down  in  the  ranks  of  the  men,  while  all  mounted  officers 
used  their  holster  revolvers.  The  position  was  held  for 
over  a  half  hour,  which  gave  time  for  the  trains  to  move 
out  of  the  way  and  Sheridan's  headquarters  to  be  emptied 
of  everything  of  value,  and  also  for  the  6th  and  ipth  corps 
to  form  a  new  line  further  to  the  rear.  We  now  fell  back 
to  the  left  of  the  new  line.  Our  brigade  was  greatly  broken 
up  by  this  time,  but  it  was  re-formed  at  the  new  line,  where 
it  soon  rallied  in  good  shape.  Finding  the  enemy  still  on 
our  flank  near  Middletown,  we  moved  forward  again  to  the 
edge  of  a  piece  of  woods  to  check  the  enemy  until  another 
line  could  be  formed  by  the  6th  and  ipth  corps,  still  further 
to  the  rear  beyond  Middletown.  Here  we  had  another 
hard  struggle  for  another  half  hour,  finally  being  driven 
back  by  the  masses  of  the  enemy  in  our  front  and  on  our 
flanks.  We  now  fell  back  again  to  the  position  beyond 
Middletown,  the  remnant  of  our  little  corps  still  clinging  to 
the  left,  which  it  stubbornly  refused  to  yield  amid  all  the 
dreadful  assaults  of  the  morning,  the  6th  on  our  right  in  the 
center,  and  the  ipth  now  on  the  extreme  right  of  the  line. 
Ouster's  and  Merritt's  cavalry  divisions  had  been  brought 
over  from  the  right  and  were  now  doing  valiant  service  in 
beating  back  the  enemy  from  our  left.  Our  left  now  lay 
near  the  pike,  beyond  which  we  could  see  the  cavalry  driv 
ing  back  the  rebel  hordes,  which  was  the  first  ray  of  hope 


2O8  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

and  grain  of  encouragement  we  had  received  during  the 
morning. 

But  the  day  was  lost,  as  all  felt,  and  the  army  directed 
its  attention  to  saving  its  trains  and  preventing  the  enemy 
getting  complete  possession  of  the  pike  and  cutting  us  off 
from  Winchester.  A  short  time,  however,  served  to  de 
monstrate  that  we  had  succeeded  in  placing  the  enemy 
squarely  in  our  front.  Our  camps,  lines  of  works,  twenty- 
four  guns  and  1800  prisoners  were  in  his  hands,  and  the 
army,  though  in  a  measure  re-formed,  was  in  a  condition  of 
demoralization  that  would  have  justified  any  commander 
in  withdrawing  it  from  the  field.  A  vast  number  of  strag 
glers  were  well  on  their  way  to  Winchester,  and  some  had 
already  entered  that  town.  But  many  were  now  flocking 
back,  and  Crook's  corps  was  every  moment  lengthening  its 
line  toward  the  pike.  It  was  about  9  o'clock  by  this  time, 
and  every  exertion  was  made  to  bring  together  the  broken 
commands  and  strengthen  our  position.  The  enemy  ap 
peared  content  with  his  victory,  and  was  now  making  no 
attempts  to  force  us  further  back.  Only  straggling  skir 
mish  firing  was  going  on,  with  now  and  then  some  artillery 
firing.  We  afterwards  learned  that  this  time  was  devoted 
by  Early's  men  to  plundering  our  camps,  which  were  a  rich 
field  for  his  ragged  and  half  starved  army. 

We  now  had  time  to  count  our  loss.  Colonel  Thoburn, 
our  division  commander,  was  mortally  wounded.  General 
Hayes,  commanding  the  second  division,  was  badly  crippled 
with  a  broken  foot,  by  his  horse,  which  was  shot,  falling 
upon  him.  Captain  Bier,  General  Crook's  Adjutant  Gen 
eral,  Colonel  Hall,  of  the  I3th  West  Virginia,  and  a  dozen 
or  more  other  officers  were  killed.  Dr.  Thomas  J.  Shannon, 
of  our  regiment,  was  mortally  wounded.  Major  Kellogg, 
commanding  the  12 3d,  Captain  Teters,  commanding  the 
1 1 6th,  and  many  more  officers  of  the  brigade  were  wounded; 
and  our  loss  of  men  in  killed,  wounded  and  missing  was 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 


209 


very  heavy.  Our  corps  had  lost  seven  guns,  the  ipth 
corps  eleven  and  the  6th  corps  six,  making  twenty-four  in 
all,  besides  many  caissons,  ambulances  and  wagons,  our  own 
corps,  however,  losing  but  four  wagons  and  two  ambu 
lances  in  all  the  confusion  of  the  day. 

Hearing  away  in  our  rear  cheer  upon  cheer,  and  com 
ing  nearer  and  nearer,  we  had  only  a  moment  to  wonder 
as  to  the  cause,  when  here  came  Sheridan  galloping  across 
the  turnpike  to  where  Crook  was  standing  behind  the  rem 
nant  of  his  little  corps.* 

His  great  black  horse,  immortalized  in  song,  was  cov 
ered  with  flecks  of  foam  and  dripping  sweat.  *  Throwing 
the  reins  from  his  hand,  he  jumped  to  the  ground.  "  Well, 
Crook,  how  is  it?"  he  asked.  "Bad  enough,  bad  enough," 
answered  Crook,  pointing  to  the  hand  full  left  of  his  corps. 
"Well,  get  ready  now,  we'll  lick  them  out  of  their  boots 
yet  before  night,"  was  Sheridan's  quick  reply,  as  he  nerv 
ously  and  vigorously  cut  off  the  tops  of  weeds  and  grass 
with  his  riding  whip.  Hardly  a  minute  elapsed  before  he 
was  in  his  saddle  again  and  off  down  the  line  in  a  hard  gal 
lop,  the  cheers  of  the  men  as  he  passed  along  telling  just 
where  he  was.  "We  are  now  going  back  to  our  camps, 
boys."  "We'll  have  all  those  camps  and  cannon  back." 
"We'll  soon  get  the  tightest  twist  on  them  you  ever  saw." 
"  Get  ready,  boys,  to  go  for  them."  "  We'll  sleep  in  out- 
old  camps  to-night."  Such  are  some  of  the  quick,  crisp 
sentences  he  spoke  to  the  men  as  he  passed  down  the  lines. 
Presently  clouds  of  stragglers  came  flocking  back  to  their 
places,  and  our  corps  was  moved  across  the  pike.  A  por 
tion  of  the  6th  corps  was  some  distance  in  the  rear.  One 
staff  officer  after  another  was  sent  to  hurry  it  forward,  for 


*"  One  thing  at  once  struck  me  as  curious,  that  the  stream  of  men  was  now  going 
towards  Middletown.    Astonished,  I  left  Wheaton  and  galloped  over  to  the  pike,  where 
I  learned  that  Sheridan  had  just  passed  up.     As  well  as  can  be  ascertained,  it  was  half 
past  eleven  o'clock."— Colonel  Crown-in-sheebeV s  Cedar  Creek. 
U 


1 10  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O<  V.  1, 

Sheridan  determined  to  stay  right  where  he  found  the  most 
advanced  line.  It  didn't  come  quick  enough  to  suit  him, 
and  he  dashed  away  for  it  himself  and  brought  it  up  on  the 
run.  It  was  not  a  moment  too  soon,  for  just  as  it  moved 
into  its  place,  about  i  o'clock,  the  rebel  attack  \vhich 
Sheridan  had  been  expecting  was  made  on  the  ipth  corps, 
and  Wheaton's  division  of  the  6th.  From  the  left  he  had 
been  watching  the  enemy's  movements  and  knew  he  was 
preparing  to  attack.  It  was  made  to  our  right,  and  for  a 
moment  we  trembled  with  anxiety,  for  the  line  at  one  place 
broke,  but  it  was  at  once  rallied  and  rolled  back  with  a 
ringing  cheer,  when  Sheridan  galloped  among  the  men, 
swinging  his  cap  and  calling  on  them  to  stand  their  ground. 
The  attack  was  repulsed,  and  Sheridan  said:  "Thank  God 
for  that!  Now  if  they  attack  you  again  go  for  them  with 
the  bayonet."* 

The  demoralization  of  the  morning's  defeat  was  all  gone. 
Everyone  felt  the  tide  of  disaster  had  turned,  and  the  men 
were  now  only  too  anxious  to  move  forward  to  get  "those 
camps  and  cannon  back."  About  i  o'clock  General  Custer, 
at  the  head  of  his  cavalry  division,  moved  across  behind  us 
from  the  left  to  the  right.  He  was  cheered,  too,  for  next  to 
Sheridan,  Custer  was  the  pride  of  the  army.  It  was  won 
derful  to  see  the  enthusiasm  and  confidence  the  presence  of 
Sheridan  inspired.  There  was  real  magic  in  it.  Up  to  4 
o'clock  all  was  silence  on  both  sides,  and  preparation,  or- 


*"  The  repulse  of  Early's  left  told  him  that  fortune  had  quitted  his  standard.  He 
thenceforth  contented  himself  with  the  endeavor  to  get  his  prisoners  and  his  captured 
guns  and  wagons  back  to  Fisher's  Hill.'  —  The  Shenandoah  Valley  in  18G4. 

"  So  many  of  our  men  had  stopped  in  the  camps  to  plunder,  (in  which  I  am  sorry  to 
say  that  officers  participated)  the  country  was  so  open  and  the  enemy's  cavalry  so 
strong,  that  I  did  not  deem  it  prudent  to  press  further,  especially  as  Lomax  had  not 
come  up.  I  determined,  therefore,  to  content  myself  with  trying  to  hold  the  advant 
ages  I  had  gained  until  my  troops  had  come  up  and  the  captured  property  was 
secured." — Early'1  s  report  to  Lee. 

(General  Powell  had  successfully  kept  Lomax  from  coming  onto  the  field  and  oper 
ating  on  our  left,  as  planned  by  Early.) 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1.  211 

ganization  and  deep  suspense  on  ours.  Sheridan  continually 
rode  along  the  front,  studying  the  ground,  encouraging  the 
men,  arranging  and  strengthening  the  lines.  Every  minute 
was  adding  strength  to  our  lines.  There  was  a  growing 
desire  to  advance,  which  Sheridan  kept  telling  the  men 
they  would  do  "as  soon  as  he  got  a  good  ready."  It  was 
nearly  four  o'clock  when  he  started  "the  right  wing  of  the 
ipth  corps  to  swing  towards  the  left."  Getty's  and  Whea- 
ton's  divisions  of  the  6th  corps  advanced  at  the  same  mo 
ment.  The  left  half  wheel  by  General  Dwight,  of  the  ipth 
corps,  on  the  extreme  right,  was  successfully  made,  while 
Custer,  riding  round  the  right  of  the  wheeling  column, 
made  a  furious  charge  on  the  crumbling  ranks  of  the  enemy 
in  the  rear.  The  constant  dread  of  being  flanked  by  the 
cavalry  had  caused  Early  to  stretch  out  his  infantry  lines 
until  they  were  made  very  thin.  But  it  did  not  after  all 
save  him  from  the  dreadful  cavalry,  while  it  made  it  easy 
for  the  infantry  to  crush  his  distended  lines.  Now  the 
bugles  all  along  the  lines  sounded  the  "  advance,"  and 
Sheridan's  whole  army  was  in  motion.  The  rebels  were 
lodged  behind  stone  walls  and  rail  pens,  and  in  many  places 
on  the  right  made  a  stubborn  resistance.  But  the  strong 
infantry  lines  advancing  and  crowding  them  back  in  the 
front  and  on  the  flank,  and  the  clouds  of  cavalry  in  their 
rear,  spread  consternation  all  along  their  lines  until  one  di 
vision  after  another  gave  way,  and  as  Pond,  in  "The  Shen- 
andoah  Valley  in  1864,"  says:  "The  army  that  had  swept 
over  the  field  in  triumph  at  dawn,  was  a  mass  of  fugitives 
at  night.  Never  was  greater  rout  seen  on  a  battle  field 
since  Bull  Run."* 


*"A  portion  of  the  enemy  had  penetrated  an  interval  which  was  between  Evans'  bri 
gade  on  the.  extreme  lelt  and  the  rest  of  the  line,  when  the  brigade  gave  way,  and 
Gordon's  other  brigades  soon  followed.  Every  effort  was  made  to  stop  and  rally 
Kershaw's  and  Ramseur's  men,  but  the  mass  of  them  resisted  all  appeals  and  continued 
to  go  to  the  rear.  Pegram  alone  got  a  portion  of  his  command  across  Cedar  Creek  in 
an  organized  condition,  but  this  small  force  soon  dissolved." — Early' g  report  to  Lee. 


212  ONE    HUNDRKD    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

No  stop  was  made  till  the  embarrassment  of  crossing 
Cedar  Creek  huddled  them  together  in  great  masses  on  its 
bank.  Custer  and  Devin  came  upon  them  now,  wrhen  they 
broke  into  utter  confusion  and  fled  in  all  directions.  The 
infantry  halted  at  Cedar  Creek,  but  the  cavalry  pursued  the 
demoralized  enemy  towards  Strasburg.  One  division  of 
the  i pth  corps  moved  over  to  Hupp's  Hill  after  dark. 
Between  Strasburg  and  Fisher's  Hill  a  bridge  across  a  little 
stream  broke  down  under  the  weight  of  a  galloping  battery, 
when  the  road  for  a  long  distance  became  blocked  with  a 
mass  of  guns,  caissons,  ambulances,  wagons  and  fugitive 
men.  Now  Custer  and  Devin  again  swooped  down  upon 
the  tangled  mass  and  gathered  it  all  up.  Here  is  where 
the  great  capture  of  artillery,  fifty-seven  pieces,  and  "every 
thing  on  wheels "  that  Early  had,  was  made.  Scores  of 
wagons,  ambulances,  etc.,  were  burned.  Ten  battle  flags 
were  among  the  trophies.  The  enemy  abandoned  every 
thing  at  this  last  charge  of  the  cavalry  and  fled  in  utterly 
broken  up  masses.  It  was  well  on  towards  morning  before 
all  the  captured  artillery  and  other  property  was  brought 
back,  and  parked  near  Sheridan's  headquarters.  Although 
tired  and  hungry,  the  men  stood  by  the  roadside  in  dense 
masses  and  gathered  in  great  crowds  around  the  rebel  pris 
oners  and  captured  property,  and  about  their  camp  fires, 
nearly  all  night.  The  change  from  the  gloom  of  disaster 
that  hung  over  that  army  in  the  morning,  brought  about  by 
the  complete  and  undisputed  victory  in  the  evening,  can  be 
better  imagined  than  described.  What  camping  we  did 
that  night,  we  did  on  the  sites  of  our  camps  of  the  night 
before.  But  our  tents,  blankets,  rations,  etc.,  were  gone, 
the  rebels  having  made  clean  work  of  our  camps,  and  no 
rations  came  up  to  us  until  the  next  morning,  when  we  ate 
as  hearty  a  breakfast  as  we  ever  did  in  our  lives.  We 
found  our  dead  stripped  of  their  clothing,  the  hyena  conduct 
of  which  the  rebels  were  almost  universally  guilty  when- 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  213 

ever  by  the  fortunes  of  war  our  dead  fell  into  their  hands. 
Our  large  force  of  cavalry,  pursuing  the  fleeing  rout, 
drove  it  out  of  Strasburg,  following  it  to  Fisher's  Hill  that 
night,  and  next  morning  as  far  up  the  Valley  as  Woodstock. 
Two  hours  more  of  daylight,  and  our  infantry  would  have 
utterly  annihilated  Early 's  army.     It  was  a  grand  sight  to 
see  that  army  of  ours,  lately  so  shattered  and  stricken,  thus 
re-form  its  columns  and  move  out  on  the  charge  to  such  a 
glorious  victory!     It  has  no  parallel  in  all  the  battles  of  the 
great  rebellion.     It  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  battles 
of  modern  times.     Of  all  the  retrieved  battles  recorded  in 
history,  none  equals   it.     It    has   often    been   compared    to 
Napoleon's  great  battle  of  Marengo,  and  some  features  of 
both  are  very  much  alike.     About  the  same  number  of  men 
were  engaged   in   each;   the   losses  were  about   the  same; 
Napoleon's  army  was  defeated  in  the  morning,  and  return 
ing  to  the  conflict  won  a  decisive  victory  in  the  afternoon. 
As  Napoleon  rode  along  his  lines  after  joining  his  army,  he 
said,  "  Men,  you  know*  I  always  sleep  on  the  battle  field." 
As  Sheridan  rode  along  his  lines  he  said,  "We'll  sleep  in 
our  old  camps  to-night."     And  the  presence  and  speech  of 
Napoleon  at  Marengo  inspired  his  men  no  less  than  did  the 
presence   and   speech   of   Sheridan   at   Cedar   Creek.     But 
there  the  parallel  ends.     Napoleon  brought  with  him  to  the 
front   4,000   of    the   Imperial    Guard,   the   best    soldiers   in 
Europe,   and   a   few    moments    after    his    arrival,  4,000   of 
Dessaix's  corps  of  veterans,  just  arrived  from  Egypt,  came 
upon  the  field.     Our  army,  after  having  sustained  a  decided 
defeat,  totally  routed  the  victors  without  receiving  an}-  re- 
enforcements,  save  one  man  —  SHERIDAN!     It  must  be  re 
membered,  too,  that  the  men  had  eaten  nothing  since  the 
night  before,  that   they  had   lost   their  canteens  and   were 
suffering  much  from  thirst,  as  well  as  hunger,  and  that  they 
had   been  fightihg  and   maneuvering,  often  at  the  double- 
quick,  for  nearly  twelve  hours.     To  this  general  condition, 


214  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

our  brigade  was  an  exception  in  one  or  two  respects.  Most 
of  the  men  had  their  canteens,  and  many  their  haversacks, 
having  had  more  time,  as  we  have  shown,  to  prepare  for 
action  in  the  morning,  than  most  of  our  corps.  Whatever 
was  or  may  have  been  the  condition  of  others,  our  brigade 
was  in  line  and  ready  for  the  onset  of  the  rebels,  and  it  has 
always  been  so  conceded.  We  came  back  to  the  pike, 
fighting  all  the  way,  with  two  regiments,  and  there  we  went 
into  a  charge  led  by  General  Wright  himself.  The  stigma 
of  "surprise,"  therefore,  does  not,  and  never  did,  attach  to 
the  ist  brigade.* 


*Prof.  Leroy  D.  Brown,  Superintendent  of  the  Hamilton  Union  Schools  at  present, 
was  a  private  soldier  in  "  H,"  and  on  the  night  of  the  18th  of  October  was  an  orderly  at 
brigade  headquarters  until  midnight,  Edward  H.  Bradley,  of  "  G,"  then  taking  his 
place.  Prof.  Brown  has  written  a  paper  of  great  merit  on  "  Sheridan  in  the  Shenandoah 
Valley/'  He  has  very  kindly  furnished  me  with  a  copy  and  I  am  indebted  to  it  for  a 
number  of  important  facts  incorporated  in  this  work.  But  I  will  let  him  tell  his  expe 
rience  of  that  night  himself:  "This  night  I  was  orderly  at  brigade  headquarters. 
General  Wildes,  now  of  Akron,  then  the  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the  116th  Ohio,  was  in 
command  of  my  brigade.  I  was  on  duty  till  midnight,  and  it  was  reported  that  the 
enemy  was  moving  towards  our  left.  This  was  net  believed  by  our  commanders. 
Nevertheless  I  took  the  precaution  to  secure  my  gun  and  accoutrements,  with  the  half 
shelter  tent  and  blanket  which  I  carried  before  J  went  to  sleep.  I  was  awakened  by  my 
comrade  Bradley  about  '2  o  clock,  who  told  me  that  he  had  heard  the  marching  of  cav 
alry  down  by  Massanutten.  This  was  confirmed  by  a  captain  of  the  5th  New  York, 
whose  regiment  was  on  picket.  Still  nothing  was  done  to  arouse  our  sleeping  army." 

In  a  letter  to  me  Edward  H.  Bradley  says  :  "I  was  orderly  at  brigade  headquarters 
from  midnight  until  the  attack  was  made  on  the  morning  of  the  l!Hh  of  October,  when  I 
took  my  gun  and  went  to  my  company.  I  heard  brisk  firing  on  our  front  and  right 
about  4  o'clock,  and  immediately  informed  you.  The  brigade  was  in  line  fully  half  an 
hour  before  the  enemy  struck  the  Virginia  brigade  (the  3d)  on  our  right.  They  were 
asleep,  I  think,  at  least  they  made  no  stand,  and  we  were  flanked  out  of  our  works." 

The  officer  of  the  5th  New  York,  mentioned  by  Prof.  Brown,  came  to  my  headquar 
ters  twice  during  the  uight,  and  told  of  what  he  had  heard  at  the  front  and  on  the  left. 
He  was  convinced  that  something  more  than  usual  was  going  on,  and  he  told  me  that 
the  officer  of  the  day  had  been  notified  by  him.  The  regimental  commanders  of  the 
brigade  were  ordered  about  4  o'clock  to  have  their  commands  under  arms  at  once. 
The  whole  brigade  was  at  the  works  fully  half  an  hour  before  the  storm  burst  upon  the 
8th  corps  on  our  left  and  right.  The  officer  of  the  day,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Furney, 
34th  Ohio,  was  captured  about  3  o'clock  in  the  morning.  It  seems  that,  being  informed 
of  the  indications  of  some  movement,  he  undertook  to  investigate  for  himself,  and 
nearing  a  point  at  which  our  cavalry  should  have  been  stationed,  he  saw  a  body  of 
mounted  men  up  to  whom  he  unsuspectingly  rode  and  was  made  a  prisoner  and  sent  to 
the  rear.  This  mishap,  very  likely,  combined  with  other  things  to  make  the  surprise 
more  complete  than  it  might  otherwise  have  been  Colonel  Putney  escaped  at  Mount 
Jackson  and  returned  to  camp  in  a  couple  of  days  after  the  battle. 

Major  Karr  says  in  a  letter  to  me:  "You  sent  me  to  Colonel  Thoburn's  head 
quarters  a  little  after  4  o'clock  in  the  morning  to  notify  him  of  the  enemy's  approach." 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  2 15 

Speaking  of  the  stand  made  by  our  corps  before  falling 
back  beyond  Middletown,  General  Harris,  in  his  report, 
says :  "  By  this  time  we  had  arrested  and  brought  together 
a  sufficient  number  of  officers  and  men  to  justify  an  attack 
on  our  part,  to  aid  in  checking  the  enemy's  advance,  and 
were  directed  by  the  General  commanding  to  a  point  of  the 
line  in  the  woods.  In  our  advance  towards  these  woods 
we  were  aided  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes,  commanding 
the  ist  brigade,  and  Colonel  Wells,  commanding  the  i5th 
West  Virginia,  each  of  whom  brought  a  considerable  con 
cession  to  our  strength.  This  force,  now  numbering  three 
or  four  thousand  men,  was  pushed  forward  into  the  woods 
until  its  withdrawal  was  rendered  imperative  by  the  giving 
wray  of  our  lines  on  our  left,  as  also  by  a  movement  of  the 
enemy  to  turn  our  right." 

The  loss  of  the  n6th  was  as  follows: 

KILLED. 

Dr.  Thomas  J.  Shannon,  Surgeon ;  Francis  Caldwell,  Company  B ;  Aaron  Weekly, 
Company  A;  David  Bruny,  Company  E.— i. 

,  WOUNDED. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Thos.  F.  Wildes;  Captain  W.  B.  Teters,  Company  H;  Lieuten 
ant  R.  T.  Chaney,  Company  D ;  Lieutenant  J.  C.  H.  Cobb,  Company  G  ;  Corporal  Abraham 
Strait,  Company  D;  Orlando  Griffith,  Company  K;  Pardon  C.  Hewett,  Company  K; 
Abel  C.  Barnes,  Company  C;  Samuel  R.  Halliday,  Company  G;  Robert  Carpenter, 
Company  F;  James  Wilson,  Company  F;  Color  Sergeant  Charles  P.  Allison,  Company 
K  ;  Milton  Mozena,  Company  C  ;  William  S.  Parrott,  Company  I.— 14. 

PRISONERS. 

* 

Corporal  James  H.  Stewart,  Company  B;  William  S.  Parrott,  Company  I;  John 
Rawlings,  Company  G;  Dam«l  Bennett,  Company  D;  Jacob  Carpenter,  Company  H; 
William  B.  Seagur,  Company  G  ;  James  Whitman,  Company  G. — 7. 

General  Sheridan,  in  his  report  of  the  Shenandoah  cam 
paign,  says:  "At  Cedar  Creek,  Getty's  division  of  the  6th 
corps,  and  Merritt's  and  Custer's  divisions  of  cavalry,  con 
fronted  the  enemy  from  the  first  attack  in  the  morning,  still 


2l6  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

none  behaved  more  gallantly,  or  exhibited  greater  courage 
than  those  who  returned  from  the  rear,  determined  to  re- 
occupy  their  lost  camps." 

Believing  that  the  reader  will  be  interested  in  the  ac 
count  they  give  of  this  extraordinary  battle,  I  give  below 
in  full  the  official  reports  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes  and 
General  Crook: 

HEADQUARTERS  IST  BRIGADE,  IST  INFANTRY  DIVISION,  ARMY  OF  WEST  VIRGINIA,  ) 
CEDAR  CREEK,  VIRGINIA,  October  24,  1864.         } 

Lieutenant  F.  L.  Bollard,  A.  A.  A.  Q.  1st  Infantry  Division,  Army  West  Virginia: 

LIEUTENANT  : — In  compliance  with  your  orders,  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  fol 
lowing  report  of  the  part  taken  by  my  command  in  the  action  of  the  19th  inst: 

About  4  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  19th  of  October,  1864,  I  heard  brisk  picket 
firing  on  the  right  and  left  of  the  position  occupied  by  my  command.  I  immediately 
ordered  the  brigade  under  arms  behind  its  fortifications.  In  a  few  minutes  afterwards 
1  heard  a  volley  of  perhaps  twenty  rifle  shots,  and  a  yell,  as  though  a  charge  was  being 
made,  in  the  direction  of  a  picket  post  in  front  of  my  left.  I  at  once  directed  Captain 
Karr,  of  my  staff,  to  inform  Colonel  Thoburn  that  there  was  considerable  firing  along 
the  picket  line.  I  then  went  to  the  right  of  my  command  to  the  position  occupied  by 
the  3d  brigade,  1st  division,  when  I  discovered  that  some  of  the  pickets  were  coming  in. 
Believing  we  were  about  to  be  attacked,  I  moved  the  123d  and  116th  Ohio  regiments  to 
the  right,  closing  upon  the  34th  Massachusetts  regiment,  thus  filling  up  a  gap  made  in 
my  line  by  the  absence  of  the  5th  New  York  H.  A.  on  picket  duty.  The  line  was 
scarcely  closed  up  when  a  heavy  volley  of  musketry  was  fired  on  my  right.  Upon  going 
again  to  the  right  to  learn  the  cause  of  it,  and  the  state  of  affairs  there,  I  found  the 
works  of  the  3d  brigade  occupied  by  the  enemy,  and  that  the  34th  Massachusetts  regi 
ment,  being  flanked  in  its  position,  had  left  the  works  in  its  front.  Just  at  this  time  I 
heard  brisk  firing  on  my  left.  Seeing  that  I  was  flanked  on  my  right,  and  apprehending 
that  my  left  was  also  threatened,  I  ordered  the  116th  and  123d  Ohio  regiments  to  move 
by  the  left  flank  and  form  line  of  battle  in  the  field  on  mj  left,  fronting  the  position 
lately  occupied  by  the  3d  brigade.  1  had  scarcely  formed  this  line  when  I  heard  firing 
in  the  woods  immediately  in  my  rear.  I  tnen  moved  by  the  left  flank  of  the  brigade 
and  formed  another  line  on  the  hill  overlooking  the  ravine  in  rear  of  the  works  of  the 
3d  brigade.  Halting  here  a  moment,  I  discovered  the  enemy  was  in  my  rear  and 
threatening  to  cut  me  off  and  to  surround  me.  I  then  moved  quickly  towards  the  turn 
pike,  my  command  fighting  the  enemy  in  my  front  and  on  my  right  until  it  reached  the 
position  occupied  by  the  19th  A.  corps.  Here  it  formed  a  portion  of  the  line  under  the 
direction  of  General  Emory,  and  fought  until  the  line  was  broken  on  this  part  of  the 
field,  my  command  at  one  time  charging  the  enemy's  position  under  the  immediate 
direction  of  General  Wright.  After  this  the  line  became  so  broken  that  but  little  could 
be  done  in  rallying  the  men  until  they  reached  the  train  of  the  6th  A.  corps  in  the  vicin 
ity  of  the  present  headquarters  of  General  Crook.  A  line  was  here  formed  to  allow  the 
train  to  cross  the  ravine  and  creek.  Considering  the  broken  condition  of  the  ranks,  the 
men  of  my  command  fought  with  great  bravery  and  coolness  at  this  point.  When  the 
train  had  crossed  this  line  gave  way.  and  falling  back  some  distance,  scattering  portions 
of  my  brigade  were  collected  and  moved  forward  under  the  direction  of  Colonel  Harris 
to  a  line  formed  in  the  edge  of  the  woods  beyond  the  ravine  in  which  the  6th  corps' 
train  had  become  blocked.  When  this  line  fell  back,  portions  of  my  command  formed 
with  the  remnant  of  the  1st  division  behind  a  stone  wall  on  the  right  of  the  turnpike 
beyond  Middletown.  Colonel  Harris  then  directed  me  to  go  to  the  rear  and  direct  all 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  217 

stragglers  from  the  Army  of  West  Virginia  to  return  to  their  commands.  Taking 
Lieutenant  Dissoway  of  my  staff  with  me,  I  wenc  to  the  rear  and  succeeded  in  collect 
ing  a  considerable  portion  of  the  stragglers,  and  shortly  after  returning,  under  direction 
of  Colonel  Harris,  moved  the  brigade  across  the  turnpike  to  the  support  of  the  batteries 
situated  on  that  part  of  (he  field.  It  lay  there  until  the  advance  was  made  in  the  after 
noon,  when  it  moved  forward  and  encamped  near  its  present  position. 

I  neglected  to  state  in  the  proper  connection  that  my  command  was  in  line  of  battle 
fully  three-fourths  of  an  hour  before  the  attack  was  made,  and  that  information  of  the 
picket  firing  was  sent  to  division  hadquarters  a  full  half  hour  before  the  attack  was 
made  on  my  right.  My  regimental  commanders,  Major  Kellogg,  123d  Ohio  ;  Captain 
Teters,  H6thOhio;  Captain  Potter,  34th  Massachusetts,  and  Captain  Wilkie,  5th  New 
York  H.  A.  regiments,  did  everything  in  their  power  with  the  men,  and  performed  their 
duties  nob'y  throughout  the  day. 

The  members  of  my  staff,  Captain  Karr  and  Lieutenant  Dissoway,  conducted  them 
selves  iu  the  most  gallant  manner  throughout  the  day,  and  rendered  very  valuable  ser 
vice  in  their  strenuous  efforts  to  keep  the  command  together.  I  have  heretofore 
forwarded  a  list  of  casualties  in  my  command  in  the  action.  I  enclose  reports  of  regi 
mental  commanders. 

1  am,  Lieutenant,  very  truly  your  obedient  servant, 

THOS.  F.  WILDES, 
Lieutenant  Colonel  116th  Ohio  Volunteers,  Commanding  Brigade. 


HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  WEST  VIRGINIA,  "I 
CEDAR  CREEK,  VA.,  November  7,  1864.         J 

Lieutenant  Colonel  J,  W.  Forsyth,  Chief  of  Staff,  Middle  Military  Division  : 

COLONEL  :—  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  on  the  morning  of  the  19th  ult.  the  Army 
of  West  Virginia  under  my  command,  owing  to  the  heavy  details  made  upon  it,  did  not 
number  over  4,(MK)  bayonets  present.  The  1st  division,  Colonel  Joseph  Thoburn  com 
manding,  and  batteries  B,  5th  U.  S.,  and  D,  1st  Pennsylvania  artillery,  were  encamped 
further  down  Cedar  Creek  and  about  one  mile  from  the  left  of  the  1'Jth  corps,  on  a  high 
ridge  overlooking  Cedar  Creek  and  the  country  in  the  vicinity  of  Strasburg,  with  the 
right  resting  close  to  and  fronting  down  the  creek.  The  general  bearing  of  this  ridge 
was  an  irregular  crescent,  running  to  the  rear  of  and  about  one-half  mile  distant 
from  the  left  of  the  1'Jth  corps.  Battery  L,  1st  Ohio  Artillery,  was  occupying  the  works 
above  the  bridge  across  the  creek,  while  the  second  division,  Colonel  R.  B.  Hayes  com 
manding,  was  held  in  reserve  and  camped  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  in  rear  of  the  left 
of  the  19th  corps.  My  pickets  were  at  the  usual  distance  from  camp,  and  connecting 
with  those  of  other  commands.  The  works  in  front  of  the  1st  division  were  being  ex 
tended  on  this  ridge  opposite  the  2d  division,  to  be  used  by  other  troops  in  case  of 
emergency,  but  I  had  not  a  sufficient  number  of  men  to  man  them.  Subsequent  inves 
tigation  goes  to  show  that  the  greater  part  of  the  enemy,  some  time  during  the  night 
previous,  crossed  the  Shenandoah  River  below  the  mouth  of  Cedar  Creek  and  mussed 
iust  outside  of  my  pickets.  At  about  half  past  four  o'clock  A.  M.,  another  force  of  the 
enemy  crossed  the  creek  in  front  of  the  first  division,  and  soon  after  the  enemy  came 
rushing  in  solid  lines  of  battle,  without  skirmishers,  on  my  pickets,  coming  to  the  works 
with  those  of  the  pickets  they  had  not  captuied,  in  overwhelming  numbers,  entered  that 
portion  of  the  works  not  occupied  by  our  troops  and  soon  were  on  the  flank  and  in  the 
rear  of  the  first  division  and  the  two  batteries,  compelling  them  either  to  retreat  or  to 
be  captured.  The  ground  to  be  passed  over  was  one  succession  of  hills  and  ravines,  so 
that  it  was  impossible  for  the  troops  to  make  a  rapid  retreat  in  anything  like  good 
order.  In  the  meantime,  the  2d  division  was  formed  on  a  ridge  parallel  to  and  facing  the 
pike,  with  its  right  nearly  opposite  to  the  left  of  the  19th  corps.  One  brigade  of  the 
latter  was  placed  in  position  nearly  at  right  angles  to  this  division  and  on  its  extreme 
right.  On  the  left  of  the  2d  division  was  Colonel  Kitchin's  command.  This  command 


2l8  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

commenced  falling  back,  when  the  whole  line  apparently  took  it  up  in  a  good  deal  of 
disorder.  In  every  regiment,  however,  a  considerable  number  of  men  contested  the 
advance  of  the"  enemy,  and  so  delayed  him  until  the  army  headquarters  and  other 
wagons  were  enabled  to  get  off  safely.  Battery  L,  1st  Ohio  artillery,  remained  in  posi 
tion  until  compelled  to  retire,  doing  good  execution  in  its  retreat.  The  dense  smoke 
which  enveloped  everywhere  (ended  great'y  to  create  tne  general  confusion  that  pre 
vailed.  After  my  command  was  re-Iormed,  General  Sheridan  placed  it  on  the  left  of  the 
Cth  corps,  to  be  held  in  reserve.  After  the  general  advance  was  made  I  followed  after, 
overtaking  the  other  commands  before  they  reached  Cedar  Creek.  Captain  H.  A. 
Dupont,  with  battery  B,  5th  U.  S.,  and  Battery  L,  1st  Ohio  artillery,  galloped  forward  to 
the  skirmish  line  and  did  most  admirable  execution,  (See  Captain  Dupont's  report.) 
The  command  camped  for  the  night  on  the  grounds  occupied  before.  As  the  dense  fog 
wlr'ch  prevailed  shut  from  view  the  operations  of  most  ol  the  army,  I  respectfully  refer 
you  to  the  enclosed  reports  of  rny  subaltern  commanders  for  further  details  of  this 
army's  operations. 

My  loss  was  as  follows:  First  Division— Killed,  13;  wounded,  97;  missing,  474 » 
total,  584.  Second  division— Killed,  26;  wounded,  154;  missing,  31;  total,  211.  Artillery 
Brigade— Killed,  7;  wounded,  17;  missing,  28;  total,  52.  Totals— Killed,  46  ;  wounded, 
268;  missing,  533;  total,  847.  Seven  pieces  of  artillery,  ten  caissons,  two  battery 
wagons,  one  forge,  four  army  wagons,  and  two  ambulances. 

I  am  specially  indebted  to  my  division  and  other  commanders  and  to  the  members 
of  my  staff  for  valuable  services  rendered  on  that  day.  Captain  Dupont,  chief  of  artill 
ery,  and  the  officers  and  men  of  his  batteries  are  deserving  of  particular  mention  for 
their  conspicuous  gallantry  and  the  valuable  services  rendered  that  day.  I  am  pained 
to  report  the  death  of  Colonel  Joseph  Thoburn,  commanding  1st  division,  and  Captain 
Phillip  G.  Bier,  Assistant  Adjutant  General  on  my  staff.  Both  fell  mortally  wounded 
while  rallying  the  men.  Brave,  efficient,  and  ever  conspicuous  for  their  gallantry  on 
the  field  of  battle,  in  them  the  country  sustained  a  loss  not  easily  repaired. 

I  respectfully  call  your  attention  to  the  loss  of  many  brave  and  valuable  officers  who 
fell  on  that  day,  as  mentioned  in  the  reports  of  my  subaltern  commanders.  Colonel 
R.  B.  Hayes  had  his  horse  shot  under  him,  and  was  slightly  injured. 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 

GEORGE  CROOK,  Major  General. 

The  loss  of  the  army  in  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners 
was  about  5,700,  of  which  about  1,400  were  prisoners. 
The  loss  of  our  corps  was  forty-six  killed,  268  wounded, 
and  523  missing,  wrhich  shows  that  it  did  not  break  to  the 
rear  with  no  attempt  to  show  fight.  The  ist  brigade  lost 
as  follows:  n6th  Ohio,  four  killed,  thirteen  wounded,  five 
prisoners;  i23d  Ohio,  one  killed,  sixteen  wounded,  thirteen 
prisoners;  34th  Massachusetts,  two  killed,  seven  wounded, 
thirty-four  prisoners;  5th  New  York  H.  A.,  one  killed, 
seven  wounded,  153  prisoners,  making  a  total  of  seven 
killed,  forty-two  wounded  and  205  prisoners,  which  shows  a 
very  large  proportion  of  the  loss  of  the  corps,  and  a  still 
greater  proportion  of  the  loss  of  the  division,  which  was 
thirteen  killed,  ninety-seven  wounded,  and  474  prisoners, 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 


2I9 


This  battle  ended  the  campaign  in  the  Shenandoah  Val 
ley,  and  effectually  destroyed  the  fine  army,  among  which 
were  the  choice  troops  of  the  South,  writh  which  General 
Early  had  entered  the  Valley,  and  threatened  Washington 
in  July.  Among  the  rebel  killed  was  General  Ramseur. 
When  the  news  of  this  great  battle  reached  the  North,  it 
rang  with  the  praises  of  Sheridan.  General  Grant  ordered 
salutes  of  100  guns  tired  by  the  armies  in  Sheridan's  honor, 
and  he  wrote  the  President  as  follows : 

"  Turning  what  had  bid  fair  to  be  a  disaster  into  a  glorious  victory,  stamps  Sheridan 
what  I  always  thought  him,  one  of  the  ablest  of  Generals." 

President  Lincoln  telegraphed  Sheridan: 

"With  great  pleasure  I  tender  you  and  your  brave  army  the  thanks  of  the  Nation 
and  my  .own  personal  congratulations  and  gratitude  for  the  month's  operations  in  the 
Shenandoah  Valley,  and,  especially,  for  the  splendid  work  on  October  19th,  1864.  ' 

And,  a  few  weeks  later,  the  President  appointed  him  a 
Major  General  in  the  regular  army;  and  a  few  months  later 
still,  Congress  passed  a  resolution  thanking  "  Major  General 
Philip  H.  Sheridan  and  the  officers  and  men  under  his  com 
mand,  for  the  gallantry,  military  skill  and  courage  displayed 
in  the  Valley  of  the  Shenandoah,  and  especially  for  their 
services  at  Cedar  Run  on  the  ipth  day  of  October,  1864, 
which  retrieved  the  fortunes  of  the  day,  and  thus  averted  a 
great  disaster." 

The  greatest  loss  we  met  was  in  the  death  of  Colonel 
Thoburn.  No  better  or  braver  officer  ever  lived.  Every 
man  in  his  division  fairly  loved  him.  Firm,  yet  kind 
hearted  as  a  child,  he  impressed  every  one  who  met  him  as 
an  honest,  patriotic,  Christian  gentleman.  As  a  man  he 
-drew  around  him  a  pleasant  circle  of  friends,  constant  and 
affectionate,  who  deeply  and  inconsolably  mourned  his  loss. 
In  disposition  he  was  frank,  manly,  kind,  and  always  cheer 
ful.  He  was  the  soul  of  kindness  to  those  he  commanded, 
and  the  very  soul  of  honor  itself  in  all  the  relations  of  army 
life.  He  did  not  possess  an  impulsive  nature.  He  was  not 


22O  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

a  thunder-bolt  on  the  field.  He  was  a  rock,  rather.  Fiery 
floods  might  break  upon  him,  and  yet  he  was  always  the 
same,  always  cool,  strong,  intrepid,  brave  and  firm.  While 
he  was  the  soldier,  every  inch,  he  never  forgot  that  he  was 
also  a  citizen  and  a  gentleman,  and  that  he  was  simply  en 
gaged  in  war  because  duty  and  patriotism  called  him  there. 
Hence  he  took  no  interest  or  pride  in  the  pomps  or  forms 
of  military  life.  He  was  too  sincere,  too  deeply  in  earnest 
in  the  cause  of  his  country  to  give  a  thought  to  anything 
that  did  not  point  directly  toward  the  unity  of  the  Nation, 
and  its  restoration  from  the  fell  powers  of  treason  and  dis 
union.  His  young  State  of  West  Virginia  and  the  Nation 
could  ill  afford  to  lose  such  a  man  as  General  Thoburn. 
After  the  battles  ending  with  Fisher's  Hill,  he  was  asked 
by  General  Crook  to  furnish  the  names  of  the  officers  of  his 
division  most  conspicuous  for  gallantry  and  efficient  con 
duct,  and  who  were  most  deserving  of  promotion.  A  few 
days  before  his  death  he  sent  me  a  copy  of  his  reply  to  this 
request.  I  here  publish  it,  possibly  for  the  first  time  it  has 
been  published  anywhere,  as  a  part  of  the  history  of  our 
regiment.  It  will  doubtless  be  gratifying  to  the  officers 
named  in  it  to  know  now,  if  they  never  did  before,  of  the 
esteem  in  which  their  dead  friend  held  them. 

HEADQUARTERS  IST  INFANTRY  DIVISION,  ARMY  WEST  VIRGINIA,  \ 

September  27,  1864.         j 

CAPTAIN  : —  In  answer  to  your  request  to  furnish  you  with  the  names  of  the  officers 
of  the  1st  division  most  conspicuous  tor  gallantry  and  efficient  conduct  in  the  late  bat 
tles  of  Winchester  and  Fisher's  Hill,  and  who  are  most  deserving  of  promotion.  I 
have  the  honor  to  report  that  with  few  exceptions  all  were  brave  and  efficient,  and  de 
serving  of  all  praise,  and  it  is  very  difficult  to  avoid  making  the  list  too  long,  and  thus 
defeat  the  object  at  which  you  aim.  Among  the  bravest  and  most  efficient  I  have  the 
honor  to  present  you  with  the  following  names :  Colonel  T.  M.  Harris,  10th  West  Vir 
ginia  Volunteers,  commanding  3d  brigade;  Lieutenant  Colonel  Thos.  F.  Wildes,  com 
manding  116th  Ohio  Volunteers;  Major  H.  W.  Potter,  commanding  34th  Massachusetts 
Volunteers;  Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  P.  Linton,  commanding  5th  Pennsylvania  Volun 
teers  ;  Adjutant  Baughman,  I Oth  West  Virginia  Volunteers  ;  Lieutenant  Geo.  McComber, 
34th  Massachusetts  Volunteers;  Lieutenant  H.  H.  Hornbrook,  1st  West  Virginia  Volun 
teers;  the  last  two,  members  of  my  staff.  These  officers  were  most  conspicuous  for 
gallantry,  and  are  all  highly  deserving  of  promotion. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  very  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 

J.  THOBURN,  Colonel. 
CAPTAIN  P.  G.  BIER,  A.  A.  Gen'l,  A.  W.  Va. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  221 

I  write  of  him  as  General  Thoburn,  at  times,  from  the 
tact  that  he  was  promoted  to  Brigadier  General,  and  his 
commission  reached  the  headquarters  of  General  Crook  a 
few  days  after  his  death.  No  man  in  the  army  more  mer 
itoriously  deserved  high  rank  than  he  did.  It  was  sorely 
regretted  by  all  that  he  did  not  live  to  enjoy  and  wear  the 
star  he  had  so  well  earned,  and  so  richly  merited.  It  will,  I 
know,  be  considered  pardonable  pride  to  have  won  the  con 
fidence  and  esteem  of  this  noble  man,  otherwise  I  would  not 
have  published  this  highly  prized  paper. 

A  great  many  promotions  in  the  army  followed  this 
battle,  which  was  the  effectual  wiping  out  of  the  rebel 
army  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  Serenading  was  the  order 
of  nearly  every  evening.  The  band  of  the  34th  Massachu 
setts  was  one  of  the  best  in  the  army,  and  was  in  constant 
demand.  On  the  2ist  of  October,  General  B.  R.  Cowen, 
then  Adjutant  General  of  Ohio,  wrote  to  us :  "I  congratu 
late  you  on  the  gallant  bearing  of  your  command  during 
the  past  campaign.  You  have  reflected  honor  on  the  State 
by  your  actions,  and  will  not  be  forgotten."  On  the  26th 
we  received  a  visit  from  Colonel  Washburn,  to  whom  we 
gave  a  royal  greeting.  Tuesday,  the  8th  of  November, 
the  regiment  voted  for  President,  casting  374  votes  for 
Lincoln,  and  eighty-one  for  McClellan. 

On  the  i6th  of  November,  at  Kernstown,  to  which  place 
we  had  fallen  back  on  the  pth,  the  regiments  of  our  brigade 
held  the  first  dress  parade  they  had  had  since  early  spring, 
except  the  n6th,  on  the  occasion  of  Colonel  Washburn 's 
visit.  Over  six  months  had  been  so  crowded  with  marches, 
battles  and  hard  field  service  that  there  was  no  room  for 
drills  or  parades,  except  in  maneuvers  on  bloody  battle 
fields. 

Our  Chaplain,  Rev.  E.  W.  Brady,  resigned  on  the  i8th, 
and  left  for  his  home.  Before  leaving  he  talked  a  few  mo 
ments  to  the  men  and  offered  prayer,  the  first  for  five 


222  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

months.  The  last  few  months  had  been  hard  ones  for  a 
Chaplain,  but  Chaplain  Brady  always  did  the  best  he  could. 
He  was  always  ready  to  do  anything  he  could,  as  well  as 
officiate  as  Chaplain.  He  was  exceedingly  kind  and  atten 
tive  to  the  sick  and  wounded,  and  did  a  great  deal  of  good 
work  in  the  hospitals.  During  the  whole  time  he  was  with 
the  regiment  he  acted  as  postmaster,  and  was  very  faithful 
in  the  discharge  of  the  important  duties  of  that  position. 
Both  officers  and  men  paid  him  the  highest  respect  when 
ever  he  engaged  in  the  duties  of  his  calling,  but  when  off 
duty  and  among  the  men,  he  was  as  jolly  and  as  fond  of 
sport  as  any  of  them  in  their  efforts  to  break  the  ennui  of 
camp  life.  He  left  the  regiment  with  the  good  wishes  of 
every  officer  and  soldier  in  it.  Rev.  James  Logan  a  private 
soldier  in  company  C,  was  promoted  to  Chaplain  and  com 
missioned  by  the  Governor  at  the  request  of  the  regiment. 
He  had  distinguished  himself  in  several  engagements  in 
carrying  the  colors  of  the  regiment  after  the  color  bearers 
had  been  disabled,  coming  forward  at  Lynchburg  at  the 
call  for  volunteers  to  carry  the  colors  after  the  whole  color 
guard  had  been  wounded.  His  bravery  was  so  noted,  and 
his  Christian  character  so  marked,  withal,  that  the  private 
soldiers  unanimously  requested  his  appointment  to  the  chap 
laincy  on  the  resignation  of  Reverend  Brady.  On  the  28th 
we  were  paid  off,  and  the  men  of  company  I  raised  a  sub 
scription,  and  sent  it  to  Mrs.  Matilda  Secoy,  whose  husband 
had  been  killed  in  the  battle  of  Opequan,  on  the  ipth  of 
September. 

On  the  1 8th  of  November,  our  brigade  was  ordered  to 
Opequan  bridge  to  guard  the  railroad  at  that  point.  On 
the  24th  we  received  our  share  of  the  10,000  Thanksgiving 
turkeys  sent  to  "  Little  Phil's  "  army  by  the  loyal  people  of 
Ohio  and  New  York  City,  which,  together  with  such 
chickens,  pigs,  turkeys,  sheep,  etc.,  as  the  "enemy's  coun 
try"  afforded,  were  served  up  at  a  Thanksgiving  dinner, 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  223 

that,  could  our  friends  at  home  have  seen,  would  have  dis 
pelled  many  a  story  to  be  found  in  the  press  and  in  old  let 
ters  about  the  "  sufferings  of  the  boys  in  the  field."  Of  the 
turkeys  sent  to  the  army  at  this  time,  Sergeant  Walker 
wrote  in  his  diary,  under  date  of  November  24th,  1864: 
"The  train  stopped  at  our  depot  to-day  and  put  off  1,000 
pounds  of  turkeys  for  this  brigade,  our  share  of  36,000 
pounds  sent  to  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah  by  the  citizens 
of  New  York  City.  All  honor  to  the  noble  State  that 
could  thus  remember  the  soldiers  in  the  field.  I  will  ven 
ture  to  say  this  is  the  first  instance  on  record  of  turkeys  be 
ing  furnished  to  an  entire  army.  American  citizens  against 
the  world."  Great  boxes  of  all  sorts  of  good  things  came 
at  the  same  time  from  Massachusetts  for  the  34th,  from 
which  Lieutenant  Ripley  selected  many  a  toothsome  morsel 
for  the  table  at  headquarters.  It  now  rained  nearly  every 
day,  and  was  very  cold  and  disagreeable,  but  very  comfort 
able  log  huts  were  speedily  built  and  "winter  quarters" 
established  on  a  grand  scale.  But,  as  was  the  constant  fate 
of  the  soldier,  we  were  doomed  not  to  enjoy  them  very 
long.  On  the  lyth  of  December  a  grand  salute  was  fired 
in  honor  of  General  Thomas'  victory  over  Hood. 

On  the  1 8th  orders  came  to  be  ready  to  move  next  day 
for  the  Army  of  the  James,  in  front  of  Richmond.  The  6th 
corps  had  preceded  us  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  going 
about  the  ist  of  December.  An  order  had  come  from  Gen 
eral  Grant  for  "the  best  division  in  Crook's  corps,"  and  in 
compliance  with  the  order  the  ist  was  selected.  We  were 
now  to  bid  good-bye  to  the  Shenandoah  Valley!  What 
recollections  the  thought  revived 

"  The  echoes  that  start 
While  memory  plays  its  old  tune  on  the  heart." 

What  hardships  the  men  of  this  division  had  endured 
in  this  Valley  of  Virginia.  How  often  had  its  soil  been 


224  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

baptized  in  the  blood  of  its  bravest  and  its  best.  What 
severe  defeat's  they  had  sustained  and  what  glorious  vic 
tories  they  had  achieved  upon  its  soil.  Scores  of  its  best 
men  were  to  be  left  behind  in  sanctified  graves.  From  the 
Heights  of  Bolivar  to  the  environs  of  .Lynchburg,  the  road 
sides,  fields  and  forests  were  dotted  with  the  burial  places  of 
its  noble  dead.  In  the  hospitals  of  the  army,  lay  hundreds 
of  its  maimed  and  disabled,  and  Oh,  how  many  languished, 
worse  than  dead,  in  Southern  prisons!  How  faithfully  had 
its  men  fought  for  the  success  of  the  great  cause  of  Liberty 
and  Union  in  this  bloody  Valley.  Is  it  any  wronder,  then, 
that  protests  were  entered  to  its  removal?  Not  from  its 
officers  or  men,  but  from  army  commanders  and  the  author 
ities  of  West  Virginia.  Strong  protests  against  its  removal 
from  the  field  upon  which  it  had  achieved  its  renown  were 
sent  to  General  Grant  and  the  authorities  at  Washington. 
It  was  urged  that  this  division  was  more  familiar  with  the 
Valley  than  any  troops  in  it,  was  better  acquainted  with  its 
people  and  their  character,  had  become  identified  with  it  in 
every  sense  more  closely  than  any  troops  that  ever  occupied 
it.  But  this  was  all  in  vain,  and  on  the  day  designated  in 
our  orders,  we  started  for  our  new  field  of  operations. 
How  well  we  maintained  the  good  name  of  the  "Army  of 
West  Virginia"  alongside  the  veterans  of  the  Potomac  and 
the  James,  let  history  tell. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

GOOD-BYE  SHENANDOAH  VALLEY ON  THE  CARS  TO  WASH 
INGTON RIDE  ON  THE  WATER ARRIVAL  AT  DEEP- 
BOTTOM PROMOTIONS DRILLING  AND  INSPECTIONS  — 

HIGH  STANDING  OF  THE  REGIMENT  IN  THE  24/TH  ARMY 
CORPS REBEL  RAMS  AND  GUNBOATS  CREATE  AN  EX 
CITEMENT MORE  PROMOTIONS. 

On  the  i  pth  of  December,  1864,  we  took  cars  at 
Harper's  Ferry.  There  was  considerable  anxiety  among 
the  men  as  to  which  course  we  would  take,  east  or  west, 
but  this  was  soon  settled  by  the  train  moving  out  toward 
Washington.  Captain  Mallory,  having  received  a  leave  of 
absence,  left  us  at  the  Ferry  for  his  home  in  Meigs  County. 
Owing  to  several  hindrances,  we  did  not  get  started  until 
nearly  dark.  That  night  ride  will  be  remembered  as  the 
most  disagreeable  ever  experienced  by  the  men.  They 
were  in  box  cars  without  any  fire,  and  many  in  open  cattle 
cars.  It  had  rained  all  da}'  and  did  not  cease  until  dark, 
when  it  turned  very  cold  and  windy.  The  men  suffered 
terribly  with  the  cold.  The  entire  ist  division  of  the  Army 
of  West  Virginia  followed  us,  our  brigade  being  in  the  ad 
vance.  We  reached  Washington  about  daylight  and  at 
once  marched  through  the  city  to  the  Potomac  River  land 
ing,  where  we  took  transports  in  waiting  for  us.  The 
1 1 6th  boarded  the  "Lizzie  Baker,"  the  12 3d  and  brigade 
headquarters  the  "Keyport,"  and  the  34th  Massachusetts 

15 


226  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  t. 

the  "  Massachusetts,"  all  sidewheel  steamers.  Without  any 
delay  all  moved  down  the  river,  and  at  night  anchored  off 
Point  Lookout.  It  was  blowing  a  hurricane  in  the  morn 
ing,  and  was  very  cold,  and  we  did  not  start  out  until  nearly 
noon.  We  were  scarcely  under  way  before  the  wind  be 
came  furious  again.  Our  vessel  rolled  terribly,  and  to  us 
landsmen  the  experience  was  far  from  pleasant.  The  men 
were  soon  nearly  all  "seasick."  The  "Keyport"  was  an 
old  vessel,  and  even  the  captain  and  crew  were  a  little 
afraid  of  her,  to  say  nothing  of  the  rest  of  us,  who  saw 
nothing  but  destruction  in  the  wild  wind  and  waves.  The 
wind  continuing,  toward  night,  we  put  into  the  mouth  of  a 
creek  below  Rappahanock.  A  gunboat  on  picket  there,  on 
seeing  us  approach,  saluted  us  with  a  shot  across  our  bow, 
which  was  another  surprise  to  us.  After  we  had  hove  to 
and  anchored,  the  gunboat  came  out  to  us,  and  its  officers 
invited  brigade  headquarters  to  take  supper  with  them, 
which  they  gladly  did.  We  started  early  next  morning. 
We  had  proceeded  but  a  short  distance  before  we  struck 
high  wind  and  waves,  rougher  by  far  than  the  day  before. 
The  "Massachusetts,"  with  the  34th  Massachusetts  regi 
ment  on  board,  had  disappeared  from  our  fleet.  The 
"  Keyport "  was  in  real  danger  of  foundering  several  times, 
and  all  felt  great  relief  when  we  passed  out  of  the  breakers 
into  smoother  waters,  and  Fortress  Monroe  appeared  in  the 
distance.  We  anchored  that  night  five  miles  below  City 
Point,  and  next  day  moved  up  to  James  Landing,  where  we 
disembarked,  and  crossing  the  James  River  on  pontoons, 
marched  out  to  "  Camp  Holly,"  at  Deep  Bottom,  on  the 
Libby  estate,  and  we  were  in  the  Army  of  the  James.  The 
34th  Massachusetts  had  not  yet  come  up  nor  been  heard 
from,  and  considerable  anxiety  was  felt  about  it.  Captains 
Dillon,  Mann  and  Hull,  of  our  regiment,  by  some  mistake 
were  left  to  come  up  on  their  boat.  The  mortars  and 
Hewlett's  batteries  kept  roaring  all  night.  General  Butler 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  227 

was  absent,  trying  to  take  Fort  Fisher  when  we  arrived, 
and  General  Ord  was  in  command  of  the  army. 

Our  first  night  was  a  very  cold  one,  and  we  were  fur 
thermore  obliged  to  sleep  on  the  ground  without  tents  and 
but  little  wood  for  fires.  Since  leaving  our  comfortable 
quarters  at  Opequan  Bridge,  on  the  ipth,  until  now,  the 
24th,  we  had  a  rough,  hard  time  of  it.  The  next  morning 
found  us  all  in  pretty  bad  humor,  and  quartermasters  and 
commissaries  were  hurried  around  as  lively  as  ever  they 
were.  The  34th  was  now  heard  from.  Their  vessel  was 
driven  into  Cherry  Stone  Inlet,  where  it  was  obliged  to  lie 
for  two  days.  The  regiment  arrived  on  the  25th,  and  with 
it  several  of  our  officers  and  men.  The  men  busied  them 
selves  building  quarters,  and  having  theirs  well  under  way 
on  the  arrival  of  the  34th,  turned  out  in  force  to  help  them 
build  theirs.  The  Massachusetts  men  were  not  so  handy 
with  the  axe,  shovel  and  trowel  as  our  western  troops,  and 
made  the  erection  of  quarters  irksome  work.  Our  men 
were  always  ready  to  help  them  on  such  work,  for  they 
were  good  fighters,  and  for  that  our  men  liked  them.  We 
were  quartered  on  Libby's  plantation,  he  of  Libby  prison 
fame,  and  our  quartermaster  erected  his  quarters  in  the 
Libby  door  yard,  but  the  "door"  and  the  house  and  all 
other  buildings  were  long  since  gone  the  way  of  war. 

The  rebels  came  round  to  greet  our  coming,  and  consid 
erable  picket  firing  took  place  the  night  of  the  25th,  and 
the  brigade  was  in  line  of  battle  behind  the  works  most  of 
the  night.  The  next  morning  we  went  out  a  short  distance 
on  a  reconnoisance,  but  the  rebels  had  retired  in  the  early 
morning.  On  the  26th,  we  received  the  news  of  General 
Sherman's  capture  of  Savannah,  and  his  presentation  of  it  to 
President  Lincoln  as.  a  Christmas  gift.  Salutes  were  or 
dered  fired,  and  this  brought  on  an  angry  cannonade  which 
continued  all  day  and  nearly  all  night,  and  kept  us  under 


228  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 

arms  another  night.     Several  of  our  officers  received  New 
Years  gifts  in  the  shape  of  well  earned  commissions: 

Captain  W.  B.  Teters  was  promoted  to  Major. 

First  Lieutenant  J.  C.  H.  Cobb  was  promoted  to  Captain. 

First  Lieutenant  A.  B.  Frame  was  promoted  to  Captain. 

Second  Lieutenant  Kansom  Griffin  was  promoted  to  First  Lieutenant. 

Second  Lieutenant  Wm.  F.  Biddenharn  was  promoted  to  First  Lieutenant 

Their  commissions  were  all  dated  December  27th,  1864. 
Captain  Mallory  returned  to  the  regiment  on  the  pth  of 
January  from  a  leave  of  absence  he  received  in  the  Shenan- 
doah  Valley,  and  the  same  day  his  company,  "A,"  was  de 
tailed  as  provost  guard  at  division  headquarters,  he  to  act 
as  Provost  Marshal.  About  this  time  an  order  was  issued 
allowing  furloughs  to  one-tenth  of  the  command,  and  the 
scramble  became  quite  exciting.  In  a  few  days,  however, 
it  was  revoked.  Road  making  was  the  "fatigue"  work 
here,  and  we  did  our  share  of  it.  On  the  i8th,  a  dispatch 
was  sent  round  announcing  the  capture  of  Fort  Fisher  on 
the  1 5th,  and  the  regiment  was  called  out  and  it  read  amid 
the  wildest  cheering.  Many  had  just  finished  reading  a 
long  and  labored  letter  published  by  General  Seymour  in 
the  New  York  Times  on  the  i6th,  the  day  after  the  cap 
ture  of  Fort  Fisher,  but  before  the  news  reached  the 
North,  in  which  he  conclusively  demonstrated  that  it  was 
impossible  to  capture  the  Fort.  It  was  fine  sport  to  turn 
from  this  dispatch  to  this  able  article.  General  Seymour 
"  put  his  foot  in  it "  badly. 

Dr.  James  A.  Sampsell  joined  us  on  the  ipth,  having 
been  assigned  to  our  regiment  as  Assistant  Surgeon.  For 
some  time  past  very  rigid  inspections  had  been  an  almost 
daily  occurrence.  Under  a  corps  order,  our  brigade  had 
been  competing  for  the  first  place  in  the  corps  in  everything 
pertaining  to  the  soldier.  Major  General  Gibbon,  a  fine 
disciplinarian  and  splendid  soldier,  was  now  in  command  of 
the  24th  Army  Corps,  to  which  our  division  was  tempor- 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

arily  attached  as  a  "provisional  division."  General  Gibbon 
had  already  visited  us  on  an  inspecting  tour,  and  he  and  his 
staff  and  the  division  commanders  accompanying  him  spoke 
in  high  terms  of  praise  of  our  camps  and  the  soldierly  bear 
ing  of  officers  and  men,  not  only  of  the  n6th,  but  of  the 
ist  brigade.  At  an  inspection  held  on  the  22d,  under  the 
supervision  of  Captain  Chas.  W.  Elvvell,  Inspector  General 
of  the  brigade,  the  n6th  was  pronounced  the  best  in  the 
brigade,  and  excused  from  fatigue  and  picket  duty  for  one 
week.  Corporal  James  M.  Stout,  of  company  B,  was  pro 
nounced  the  "best  soldier  in  the  regiment,"  and  a  little 
Irishman  by  the  name  of  Hogan,  in  the  34th  Massachusetts, 
the  "best  soldier  in  the  brigade."  He  had  the  prettiest 
gun  I  ever  saw,  and  had  everything  belonging  to  it  and 
himself  in  the  most  complete  order  possible.  He  was, 
moreover,  the  perfect  soldier  in  every  respect.  He  was 
sent  forward  to  division  and  corps  headquarters,  there  to 
compete  with  others  similarly  selected  from  all  the  brigades 
in  the  corps.  He  came  back  in  the  evening  pronounced 
the  "best  man  in  the  24th  Army  corps,"  and,  under  a  pro 
vision  of  the  inspection  order,  with  a  furlough  in  his  belt  for 
thirty  days,  and  written  permission  to  take  his  gun  and  ac 
coutrements  home  with  him.  This  was  "first  blood"  for 
the  ist  brigade. 

At  a  very  early  hour  on  the  morning  of  the  24th,  a 
rebel  fleet  composed  of  the  ironclads  "Virginia,"  "Rich 
mond  "  and  "  Fredericksburg,"  each  carrying  four  guns,  the 
wooden  vessels  "  Drewry,"  "  Nansemond  "  and  "  Hampton," 
each  with  two  guns,  the  "Bedford,"  with  one  gun,  the 
steamer  "Torpedo"  and  three  torpedo  boats,  dropped  down 
from  their  anchorage  above  the  I  lowlett  batteries,  ran  past 
Fort  Brady  in  the  fog  without  being  observed  and  attempt 
ed  to  pass  the  obstructions  in  the  river  and  get  down  to 
City  Point.  The  attention  of  the  fort  was,  ho\vever,  soon 
drawn  to  the  vessels,  and  a  lively  cannonading  followed  for 


23O  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

some  time.  It  terminated  in  a  hundred-pound  gun  being 
dismounted  in  the  fort  and  the  rebel  vessels  getting  out  of 
range.  At  length  the  enemy  succeeded  in  cutting  the  chain 
in  front  of  the  obstructions  beyond  the  lower  end  of  Dutch 
Gap  Canal,  and  the  Fredericksburg  got  through  under  full 
head  of  steam;  but  the  Richmond,  Virginia  and  Drewry 
grounded,  and  the  Fredericksburg  had  to  return  to  their 
assistance.  The  Drewry  could  not  be  got  off  and  was 
abandoned.  A  shell  from  Battery  Parsons  subsequently 
falling  into  her  magazine,  she  blew  up.  It  was  now  ap 
proaching  daylight,  and  as  the  rebel  fleet  was  in  range  of 
of  the  battery,  and  the  gunboats  on  the  river  had  recovered 
from  their  demoralization  and  were  coming  into  action,  the 
whole  fleet  retired  up  the  river  and  escaped.  It  was  a 
close  call  for  the  Army  of  the  James,  for  had  the  rebel  iron 
clads  not  grounded,  the  entire  fleet  of  transports  at  City 
Point  might  have  been  sunk  and  the  base  of  operations 
there  destroyed,  in  which  event  the  Army  of  the  James  and 
Fort  Harrison  would  have  been  isolated  from  the  forces  on 
the  south  side  and  greatly  endangered.  Our  army  was  all 
under  arms  from  the  moment  the  first  gun  was  fired  in  the 
morning,  and  fearing  a  repetition  of  the  experiment  the  next 
night,  the  whole  army  lay.  behind  its  works.  A  large  force 
of  rebel  infantry  lay  waiting  in  our  front  to  attack  and 
"wipe  us  off  the  map,"  had  the  ironclad  expedition  been 
successful.  It  failing,  all  soon  became  quiet  on  the  James. 
On  the  25th,  General  Harris  inspected  our  brigade  very 
minutely.  We  all  thought  him  speciallv  exacting  and  scru 
tinizing  with  the  n6th.  The  next  clay  he  promulgated  an 
order  to  the  effect  that  the  n6th  was  the  best  regiment  in 
the  division,  "and  would  therefore  be  excused  from  fatigue 
and  picket  duty  for  t\vo  weeks."  This  created  great  ex 
citement  in  camp,  and  as  showing  the  good  natured  rivalry 
existing  among  the  regiments  of  the  brigade,  the  officers  of 
the  34th  and  12  3d,  accompanied  by  the  34th  band,  went 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  23! 

over  and  gave  the  n6th  officers  a  serenade.  Commissions 
arrived  on  the  28th  for  Sergeant  Major  Wm.  J.  Lee,  to 
Second  Lieutenant;  Sergeant  Joseph  Purkey,  to  Second 
Lieutenant;  Sergeant  Jacob  Wyckoff,  to  Second  Lieuten 
ant.  On  the  same  day  we  received  notice  of  Lieutenant 
Sibley's  resignation.  He  had  but  shortly  before  been  ex 
changed  in  broken  health.  Captain  Dillon  resigned  Janu 
ary  29th;  Captain  Chaney,  February  ist;  Adjutant  Ballard, 
February  3d;  and  Captain  Cochran,  February  pth,  which 
created  several  vacancies.  On  the  loth,  Lieutenant  Wm. 
B.  Henry  was  promoted  to  First  Lieutenant;  Second  Lieu 
tenant  Edward  Muhleman,  to  First  Lieutenant;  Q.  M.  Ser 
geant  Ezra  L.  Walker,  to  Second  Lieutenant.  On  the  i5th, 
First  Lieutenant  W.  S.  Martin  was  promoted  to  Captain; 
Second  Lieutenant  Rees  Williams,  to  First  Lieutenant; 
Sergeant  Wm.  H.  Bush,  to  Second  Lieutenant;  Sergeant 
John  S.  Heald,  to  Second  Lieutenant;  Sergeant  Charles  A. 
Cline,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 

About  the  3d  of  February,  we  received  the  news  of  the 
submission  of  the  Thirteenth  Amendment  to  the  States  for 
their  ratification.  There  was  universal  rejoicing  all  through 
the  armv.  None  of  the  bad  feeling  seen  everywhere  when 
in  January,  1863,  the  President  issued  the  Emancipation 
Proclamation,  existed  anywhere  now.  Everyone  was  ready 
to  adopt  measures  that  would  forever  put  an  end  to  Ameri 
can  slavery,  and  was  glad  steps  to  that  end  were  being 
taken.  Salutes  were  fired,  and  officers  and  men  cheered, 
shook  hands,  pulled  and  jerked  each  other  about  and  fairly 
danced  for  joy.  As  the  news  passed  from  one  regiment  to 
another,  you  could  hear  the  cheers  and  shouts  of  men  roll 
ing  along,  and  echoing  and  re-echoing,  until  it  seemed  as 
though  the  whole  army  was  uniting  in  one  grand  effort  to 
all  cheer  at  once,  and  mingled  with  it  all  was  the  tremen 
dous  roar  of  artillery  from  the  forts  and  artillery  parks  off 
to  our  left,  and  the  gunboats  and  mortars  on  the  river  in  our 


232  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

rear.  Of  course  all  this  exasperated  the  enemy,  and  that 
night  there  was  a  great  deal  of  picket  firing,  and  we  stood 
at  arms  most  of  the  night. 

At  the  Sunday  inspection,  January  29th,  Corporal  James 
M.  Stout,  who  stood  first  in  the  regiment  and  second  in  the 
brigade  at  the  previous  inspection,  was  first  in  the  brigade 
and  first  in  the  division  and  corps,  and  received  a  furlough 
for  thirty  days  and  written  permission  to  take  his  gun  and 
accoutrements  home  wdth  him.  The  ist  brigade  was  an 
nounced,  in  an  order  from  corps  headquarters,  as  in  the 
best  order  in  the  division,  and  the  34th  Massachusetts  the 
best  in  order  in  the  brigade.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes, 
as  brigade  commander,  now  became  entitled  to  a  leave  of 
absence  under  the  inspection  orders,  and  on  the  6th  left  for 
home.  Q.  M.  Sergeant  Walker,  now  acting  as  Sergeant 
Major,  also  obtained  a  furlough.  Captain  Dillon,  who  had 
resigned  on  the  2pth  ult.,  on  account  of  disability,  went 
home  now,  and  also  Major  Teters  on  leave  of  absence. 
We  thus  had  a  pleasant  party.  John  A.  Dennis,  of  com 
pany  I,  was  accidentally  killed  at  Chapin's  Farm  by  the 
falling  of  a  tree,  on  the  loth  of  February.  It  was  a  sad 
affair.  He  was  a  good  soldier,  had  always  done  his  duty 
well,  and  it  seemed  hard  to  thus  lose  his  life  after  passing 
through  all  the  great  battles  of  the  Shenandoah  Valley 
safely.  About  the  I2th,  it  grew  very  cold  and  windy. 
Among  other  capers  of  the  wind,  was  the  blowing  down  of 
our  chapel,  which  had  been  built  about  a  month  before  at 
the  request  of  the  Chaplain,  and  a  great  many  chimneys. 
On  the  1 5th,  a  great  many  prisoners  were  exchanged  at 
Aiken's  Landing,  among  them  several  of  our  regiment. 
They  met  with  a  royal  reception  when  they  came  out  to 
our  camp.  For  several  nights  along  between  the  i5th  and 
23d  there  was  a  great  deal  of  disturbance  on  the  picket 
lines.  On  the  2ist,  we  received  news  of  Sherman's  capture 
of  Charleston,  Columbia,  etc.,  and  more  salutes  were  fired, 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  233 

again   exasperating    the   rebels.     The   old   flag   was   again 
floating  over  Fort  Sumter. 

On  the  23d,  a  commission  as  Assistant  Surgeon  was  re 
ceived  for  Hospital  Steward  James  T.  Moran,  but  the  regi 
ment  had  not  men  enough  to  allow  him  to  be  mustered. 
No  more  faithful,  industrious  and  competent  man  for  his 
position  could  be  found  in  the  service  than  Dr.  Moran,  and 
his  failure  to  enjoy  his  well  earned  promotion  was  deeply 
regretted.  No  officer  or  man  in  the  regiment  performed  his 
duty  more  faithfully,  throughout  the  service,  than  Jas.  T. 
Moran.  Major  Teters  returned  on  the  27th.  News  to-day 
of  the  fall  of  Wilmington.  More  salutes,  and  the  rebels  are 
mad  again.  Orders  to  move  at  an  hour's  notice  have  been 
in  existence  for  several  days.  On  the  28th,  Corporal  John 
M.  Mitchell,  of  company  I,  and  Sergeant  Uriah  Hoyt,  of 
company  B,  received  orders  from  the  War  Department  to 
report  at  Columbus  for  promotion  in  a  new  regiment,  the 
1 86th,  of  which  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes  was  made  Col 
onel.  Desertions  from  the  rebels  were  very  numerous  along 
about  this  time,  and  the  deserters  say  that  shooting  at  them 
as  they  cross  the  lines  explains  much  of  the  picket  firing 
heard  every  night.  February  26th,  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Wildes  was  appointed  Colonel  of  the  i86th  O.  V.  I.,  and 
Major  Teters  was  promoted  to  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the 
n6th.  Quartermaster  Sergeant  Ezra  L.  Walker,  who  had 
performed  so  long  such  valuable  services  in  the  Quartermas 
ter's  department  of  the  n6th,  was  appointed  Quartermas 
ter  of  the  1 86th.  Commissary  Sergeant  W.  T.  Patterson 
was  appointed  Quartermaster  Sergeant,  vice  Walker,  pro 
moted,  and  Frank  O.  Pickering  was  appointed  Commissary 
Sergeant.  Captain  John  Hull  was  promoted  to  Major. 
Major  Hull  resigned  and  went  home  on  the  i6th  of  Febru 
ary.  He  was  an  old  man,  too  old  for  active  field  service, 
but  he  had  endured  the  hardships  of  the  service  remarkably 
well,  always  bravely  did  his  duty  as  an  officer,  and  he  now 


234  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

left  the  regiment  for  his  home  with  the  kind  wishes  of  both 
officers  and  men,  and  with  the  esteem  and  respect  of  all. 
On  the  1 8th  the  following  promotions  took  place: 

First  Lieutenant  John  C.  Henthorn,  to  Captain. 

First  Lieutenant  Wm.  Mosely,  to  Captain. 

First  Lieutenant  John  S.  Manning,  to  Captain. 

Second  Lieutenant  Charles  P.  Allison,  to  First  Lieutenant. 

Second  Lieutenant  Wm.  J.  Lee,  to  First  Lieutenant. 

Second  Lieutenant  Joseph  Purkeyr  to  First  Lieutenant. 

General  Grant  and  the  Secretary  of  War  reviewed  the 
Army  of  the  James  on  the  i8th.  It  was  a  grand  affair,  and 
the  whole  army  appeared  in  admirable  condition.  General 
Gibbon,  in  command  of  the  24th  army  corps,  is  one  of  the 
very  best  officers  in  the  army,  and  General  Ord,  in  com 
mand  of  the  Army  of  the  James,  well  deserves  the  confi 
dence  which  General  Grant  seems  to  repose  in  him.  On 
the  22d,  Brevet  Major  General  Turner  assumed  command 
of  the  division,  which  was  now  designated  the  2d  'division 
of  the  24th  army  corps,  relieving  General  Harris,  who  re 
turned  to  the  command  of  his  old  brigade,  the  3d.  The 
troops  are  marching  and  counter-marching,  and  all  are 
under  orders  to  march  to-morrow  morning.  Instead  of 
marching  on  the  23d,  we  had  another  inspection. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

OFF    FOR    PETERSBURG CONTINUOUS   HARD   MARCHING  — 

HATCHER'S  RUN  —  SKIRMISHING- — LIST  OF  CASUALTIES  — 
A  NARROW  ESCAPE  FOR  CAPTAIN  MANN  AND  FORTY  MEN 

—  FORT  GREGG  CARRIED  BY  ASSAULT SOME  INCIDENTS 

CONNECTED  WITH  THE  CHARGE REPORT  OF  LIEUTEN 
ANT  COLONEL  POTTER CASUALTIES  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

^TI< 
B'S 

CUT  OFF APPOMATTOX THE  WHITP:  FLAGS  — SURREN 
DER GENERAL  GIBBON'S  ORDER. 

Finally,  on  the  morning  of  the  25th,  our  division  started 
on  the  march  with  a  pontoon  train  and  entrenching  tools. 
Leaving  Camp  Holly  to  our  left,  our  division  moved  out  on 
the  White  House  road,  through  a  dense  evergreen  forest 
among  the  Chickahominy  swamps.  Our  anticipations  were 
that  we  were  going  out  to  meet  Sheridan,  on  his  way  to 
join  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  from  White  House,  which 
he  had  reached  from  the  Shenandoah  Valley  on  the  ipth. 
After  moving  out  some  distance,  we  took  the  Charles  City 
road.  Cavalry  was  posted  all  along.  We  soon  came  to 
some  of  McClellan's  battle  fields  covered  with  fortifications 
and  the  debris  of  battle.  We  halted  at  noon  near  the  Chic- 
ahominy,  and  the  pontoon  corps  began  the  construction  of  a 
pontoon  bridge  across  the  river.  The  bridge  was  scarcely 
laid  before  some  of  Sheridan's  troopers  made  their  appear 
ance  and  crossed  over,  but  Sheridan  himself,  with  the  main 


236  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

part  of  his  cavalry,  had  crossed  further  down,  and  were 
now  well  on  their  way  to  James'  Landing,  on  the  James.  It 
was  a  great  disappointment  to  our  old  division  of  the  Army 
of  West  Virginia  not  to  meet  our  old  commanders,  Sheridan 
and  Crook.  Next  morning  we  counter-marched  for  the 
James.  Coming  within  sight  of  our  old  camp,  we  filed  to 
the  left,  and  went  into  camp  at  Deep  Bottom  Landing. 
We  found  Sheridan  crossing  to  the  south  side  of  the  James 
at  James'  Landing,  a  little  below  us.  Monday,  March  27th, 
we  stripped  for  battle,  casting  aside  everything  not  abso 
lutely  necessary.  We  never  before  marched  so  light.  Just 
after  sundown  we  crossed  the  James  on  pontoons,  wound 
along  the  river  bank  some  distance,  and  then  turning  to  the 
right  entered  the  dense  evergreen  forest.  Were  it  not  for 
fires  at  intervals,  we  could  not  have  made  much  headway 
in  the  darkness  and  splashing  mud.  Crossed  the  Appo- 
mattox  below  the  Point  of  Rocks,  and  riling  to  the  right 
took  the  Petersburg  road.  Halted  at  4  A.  M.  opposite  the 
Petersburg  front.  Picket  firing  was  very  lively  in  front. 
We  slept  about  three  hours,  and  then  marched  very  rapidly 
along  the  lines  to  the  left.  Large  bodies  of  troops  were 
everywhere,  forts  and  earthworks  on  all  sides.  Everything 
was  on  the  move.  On  our  march  to-day  we  passed  Sher 
idan's  cavalry  taking  a  rest.  Also  passed  General  Mead's 
headquarters.  Marched  fifteen  miles,  and  went  into  camp 
after  crossing  the  Weldon  and  Grant's  military  railroads. 
The  next  morning  we  moved  at  daylight.  Going  a  short 
distance,  we  relieved  the  2cl  corps,  taking  their  quarters  at 
Humphrey's  Station.  Grant,  Sheridan,  Meade  and  Crook 
passed  us  on  their  way  to  the  front.  On  the  2pth,  Captain 
Hamilton  L.  Karr  was  promoted  to  Major,  First  Lieuten 
ant  Richmond  O.  Knowles  to  Captain,  and  Second  Lieu 
tenant  Wm.  H.  Bush  to  First  Lieutenant. 

At    5    o'clock    the    morning   of    the    3Oth,   our    division 
crossed  Hatcher's  Run,  the  left  connecting  with  the  right 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  237 

of  the  2d  corps,  and  the  right  resting  near  Hatcher's  Run, 
our  brigade  being  on  the  right.  During  the  day  we  moved 
forward  in  conjunction  with  the  2cl  corps,  our  brigade,  at 
night,  connecting  on  the  right  with  Foster's  2d  division. 
General  Harris'  brigade  was  on  the  left,  and  Colonel  Curtis' 
being  in  reserve.  Skirmishing  was  lively  all  day,  our  regi 
ment  having  a  few  wounded.  Early  in  the  morning  of  the 
3ist,  our  brigade  was  ordered  to  drive  in  the  enemy's  picket 
line  in  our  front,  in  order  to  develop  the  position  of  the 
enemy.  This  was  very  gallantly  done.  The  enemy's  en 
tire  picket  line  was  either  captured  or  driven  within  his 
works,  and  our  own  picket  line  established  writhin  400 
yards  of  the  enemy's  works,  enabling  us  to  completely 
silence  his  artillery  on  this  part  of  his  line,  and  giving  us  a 
very  important  advantage.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Kellogg,  of 
the  1 23d  Ohio,  had  charge  of  our  skirmish  line,  and  he  is 
very  highly  praised  by  General  Turner  for  his  gallantry  on 
this  occasion.  After  this  advance  we  fortified,  and  during 
the  remainder  of  that  day  and  the  ist  of  April  we  were  en 
gaged  in  strengthening  our  position.  The  loss  of  our  regi 
ment  on  the  3Oth  and  3ist  was  two  killed  and  nine  wounded, 
as  follows: 

KILLED. 

John  E.  Smith,  Company  E ;  Emauuel  Byers,  Company  C.— 2. 
WOUNDED. 

Erastus  H.  White,  Company  B;  Corporal  Abner  G.  Carlton,  Company  C;  John  M. 
Carlton,  Company  C;  Andrew  J.  Morris.  Company  C;  Jos.  8.  Johnson,  Company  C; 
James  Agin,  Company  D;  James  A.  Strong,  Company  G;  Miner  Starkey,  Company  F; 
George  Beach,  Company  I.— 9. 

Sheridan  had,  early  in  the  morning  of  the  3Oth  of 
March,  connected  his  right  with  the  left  of  the  5th  corps 
near  the  Boydton  plank  road.  The  enemy  were  found  to 
have  constructed  a  very  strong  line  of  entrenchments  to 
cover  the  position  known  as  Five  Forks,  of  great  strategic 


238  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

value,  where  five  roads  meet  in  the  woods,  three  of  which 
led  back  to  the  South  Side  Railroad,  and  the  possession  of 
which  would  be  equivalent  to  turning  the  enemy's  right 
flank. 

To  give  a  more  complete  outline  of  the  position,  it 
might  be  recapitulated  that  Sheridan,  with  the  cavalry,  oc 
cupied  the  extreme  left,  and  was  working  round  to  get 
beyond  the  enemy's  right.  Next  toward  the  right  in  order 
lay  the  5th,  the  2d,  the  24th,  the  6th,  the  pth  corps,  with  a 
division  of  the  25th  in  reserve.  Early  on  the  morning  of 
3ist,  Warren  began  to  move  the  5th  corps.  At  Gravelly 
Run,  it  was  met  by  the  enemy  in  strong  force  and  driven 
back,  and  the  attack  was  not  checked  until  met  by  Miles' 
division  of  the  2d  corps.  Towards  noon  Sheridan  had  been 
also  attacked  on  the  left  and  portions  of  his  cavalry  driven 
back.  About  5  o'clock  the  5th  corps,  having  rallied,  ad 
vanced  its  lines  again.  During  all  the  3ist  of  March,  the 
pth  and  25th  corps  were  not  engaged,  but  about  10  o'clock 
at  night  the  6th,  pth  and  24th  opened  a  general  cannonade, 
which  was  continued  till  four  o'clock  on  the  following 
morning.  The  great  events  of  the  first  of  April  were  inau 
gurated  by  the  enemy  at  4  o'clock  in  the  morning,  by  an 
attack  on  Foster's  division  of  the  24th  corps.  The  onset 
was  so  sudden  and  impetuous  that  the  enemy  planted  their 
colors  on  the  fortifications  held  by  Damby's  brigade,  and 
was  near  routing  the  entire  division.  Our  division  instantly 
came  to  its  support,  the  n6th  charging  the  rebels  in  pos 
session  of  Damby's  works,  and  they  were  driven  out  almost 
as  suddenly  as  they  came  in.  A  musketry  and  artillery  fire 
broke  out  along  the  center  and  right  of  the  line,  but  it  was 
soon  over,  with  little  loss  on  either  side.  The  rebels  cap 
tured  a  few  prisoners  in  their  charge,  but  we  captured  a 
great  many  more  from  them  when  we  drove  them  out. 
Seven  slightly  wounded  was  the  result  in  our  regiment,  and 
a  number  of  prisoners  passed  to  the  rear  through  our  ranks* 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

An  exciting  incident  occurred  to  Captain  Mann  and 
forty  men  of  our  regiment.  On  the  evening  of  the  3ist,  the 
Captain  was  summoned  to  division  headquarters  by  General 
Turner,  who  advised  him  that  he  had  been  selected  to  take 
charge  of  forty  select  men,  to  be  supplied  with  axes,  whose 
duty  it  would  be  to  advance  in  the  morning,  in  advance  of 
the  skirmish  line,  and  cut  away  the  abatis  in  front  of  the 
rebel  works,  so  that  his  troops,  who  were  to  make  an  as 
sault  at  daylight,  could  pass  through.  At  12  o'clock,  the 
Captain  and  his  men  moved  out  in  front  of  our  works,  and 
lay  down  to  await  the  time  of  the  movement  in  the  morn 
ing.  But  the  enemy,  probably  anticipating  our  tactics, 
made  an  assault  upon  our  works  a  little  before  the  time 
fixed  for  our  assault  upon  theirs.  The  battle  raged  right 
over  the  prostrate  forms  of  the  Captain's  detail,  many  rebels 
being  killed -and  wounded  right  among  his  men.  They 
hugged  the  ground  closely  throughout  the  struggle,  and 
when  the  rebels  were  repulsed,  the  Captain  and  his  forty 
brave  pioneers  came  within  our  works,  where  they  were 
greeted  as  if  they  had  risen  from  the  dead.  Nobody  ex 
pected  to  see  one  of  them  alive  again,  and  probably  had 
they  gone  on  the  mission  assigned  them  the  night  before, 
but  few,  if  any,  of  them  would  have  escaped  alive.  The 
assault  contemplated  by  General  Turner  was  not  made,  the 
assault  of  the  enemy,  just  described,  disarranging  his  plans, 
and  besides  because  other  plans  were  at  once  conceived. 

But  all  day  on  the  ist,  the  most  desperate  and  decisive 
fighting  had  been  going  on  about  Five  Forks  on  the  left. 
The  day  before,  Sheridan  had  met  with  some  reverses  in 
his  efforts  to  flank  the  rebel  right.  At  night  General 
Grant  had  placed  Sheridan  in  command,  not  only  of  all  the 
cavalry,  but  of  the  5th  corps  under  Warren,  determined 
that  the  disasters  of  the  day  before  should  not  be  repeated. 
Sheridan  now  controlled  four  divisions  of  cavalry  and  three 
of  infantry,  aggregating  not  far  from  30,000  strong,  and 


240  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

double  that  which  the  enemy  could  concentrate  against  him 
at  Five  Forks,  while  the  rebel  lines,  all  the  way  from  Din- 
widdie  Court  House  to  Petersburg,  were  threatened  by 
forces  largely  superior  to  theirs.  At  daybreak,  Sheridan 
put  his  whole  cavalry  force  in  motion  to  accomplish  his 
mission  of  getting  round  the  rebel  right.  Five  Forks  was 
the  strategic  point  of  the  whole  rebel  position.  That  taken, 
and  the  position  would  be  completely  turned  and  rendered 
untenable.  Sheridan  worked  his  way  steadily  up  to  the 
entrenchments  on  all  sides,  while  the  enemy  fell  back,  fight 
ing  fiercely.  Finally  a  division  of  the  cavalry  got  well 
round  on  the  enemy's  flank  and  rear.  About  3  o'clock,  the 
5th  corps  was  ordered  up  to  support  the  cavalry.  As  soon 
as  it  arrived,  Ayres'  and  Crawford's  divisions  were  swung 
in  on  the  left,  Ayres'  striking  the  flank  of  the  enemy's 
works.  Crawford,  advancing,  found  himself  in  the  rebel 
rear. 

"  The  Great  Civil  War,"  speaks  of  the  battle  from  this 
point  as  follows :  "  The  enemy  had  steadily  fallen  back  at 
first,  fighting  obstinately,  however,  till  5  o'clock,  when  they 
made  a  decisive  stand,  and  then  for  two  hours  raged  one  of 
the  most  fearful  contests  of  the  war.  Riding  to  all  parts  of 
the  field,  Sheridan  cheered,  urged  and  drove  on  his  men, 
and  at  length  they  nearly  surrounded  the  enemy's  position, 
swarmed  over  the  parapets,  and  the  rebel  troops,  exhausted 
with  their  great  efforts,  and  much  weakened  by  the  havoc 
which  had  been  made  in  their  ranks,  and  seeing  it  useless 
longer  to  resist  the  overwhelming  force  pouring  in  upon 
them,  broke  and  rushed  to  the  rear,  seeking  to  escape  by 
the  only  outlet  still  open.  There  was  another  fierce  strug 
gle,  but  by  half-past  seven  the  battle  was  over." 

Thus  Five  Forks  fell  into  our  hands,  and 'that  night 
Custer's  and  McKenzie's  divisions  of  cavalry  pressed  on  in 
pursuit  of  the  fugitives.  The  2d  corps  had  all  day  been 
swinging  forward  so  as  to  connect  with  the  5th,  fighting 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1.  24! 

hard  all  the  way,  and  in  the  evening  Miles'  division  pushed 
on  to  Sheridan  at  Five  Forks. 

We  thus  give  a  brief  account  of  the  movements  on  the 
left  on  the  ist,  so  that  a  clearer  idea  may  be  had  of  the  im 
portance  of  our  own  movements  on  the  right  on  the  2d. 

As  before  stated,  a  furious  cannonade  was  kept  up  all 
along  the  front  of  the  6th,  9th  and  24th  corps,  until  4 
o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  2d.  At  that  hour,  these  sev 
eral  corps  were  massed  for  a  charge,  the  6th  in  front  of 
Forts  Welch  and  Fisher,  and  Turner's  and  Foster's  di 
visions  of  the  24th  on  both  sides  of  Hatcher's  Run,  in  front 
of  Fort  Gregg,  Turner's  division  in  support  of  Foster's. 
At  4  o'clock,  the  6th  moved  on  the  double  quick  across  the 
intervening  space  of  800  yards,  and  after  several  hours  of 
hard  fighting  captured  the  two  forts  in  their  front.  The 
24th  had  further  to  move,  but  it  also  was  successful  in  cap 
turing  Fort  Gregg,  a  very  formidable  work  in  its  front. 
The  1 1 6th  won  great  praise  for  its  gallantry  in  its  charge 
on  Fort  Gregg.  In  the  assault  on  Fort  Gregg,  the  n6th 
was  in  the  third  line  of  the  assaulting  column.  The  first 
line  was  checked,  the  second  also.  When  our  line  came  up, 
it  was  also  checked  by  the  troops  lying  in  front  of  us,  ex 
tending  back  from  the  ditch  around  the  fort  four  or  five 
rods.  In  the  final  rush,  our  line  was  first  on  their  feet  and 
charged  over  and  through  the  other  troops,  many  of  them 
joining  in  the  charge.  Our  colors,  with  the  colors  of  the 
loth  Connecticut,  were  the  first  planted  upon  the  parapet  of 
the  fort.  These  two  stands  of  colors,  it  was  claimed  at  the 
time,  were  planted  simultaneously.  The  u6th  colors  were 
carried  by  Corporal  Francis  J.  Stout,  of  company  C,  who 
took  them  up  at  Cedar  Creek,  after  they  had  been  shot 
down  several  times,  and  he  carried  them  to  the  close  of  the 
war.  The  record  of  modern  warfare  hardly  furnishes  a  par 
allel  to  the  desperate  encounter  which  took  place  on  the  par 
apet  of  Fort  Gregg.  Thirteen  rebels  were  found  inside  the 

16 


242  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

fort  killed  by  bayonet  thrusts,  while  scores  were  wounded 
by  the  same  weapon.  Union  and  rebel  soldiers  lay  dead  on 
the  parapet  and  inside  the  fort  in  each  other's  grasps.  Nor 
were  officers  the  only  brave  ones.  There  was  scarcely  a 
private  soldier  of  our  regiment  who  was  not  worthy  of  spe 
cial  mention  and  praise  for  his  gallantry.  Sergeant  E.  C. 
King,  of  company  F,  is  said  to  have  been  among  the  first 
to  scale  the  enemy's  works.  He  was  promised  a  Medal  of 
Honor,  but  for  some  reason  never  received  it.  There  were 
numerous  noted  acts  of  bravery  on  the  part  of  officers  and 
men.  A  party  of  men,  privates  Williams  and  Reusser  of 
E,  Samuel  Forsythe  of  D,  Joseph  Van  Meter  of  G,  and 
Corporal  Thompson  of  F,  advanced  in  a  squad  by  them 
selves  under  the  lead  of  Sergeant  Reithmiller  of  E,  to  a 
bank  close  up  to  the  fort,  and  lay  down,  watching  for  a 
chance  to  dash  forward.  Seeing  the  chance,  all  rose  to 
gether  to  start,  but  that  instant  the  brave  Sergeant  was 
killed.  The  rest  of  the  party  ran  on,  and  digging  holes  in 
its  side  with  their  bayonets,  climbed  on  to  the  parapet  of 
the  fort.  In  a  moment  they  were  joined  by  Corporal  Stout 
bearing  the  colors,  and  the  rest  of  the  regiment.  Then  fol 
lowed  the  most  desperate  fighting,  the  rebels  trying  to  cap 
ture  the  colors  and  kill  its  bearers.  The  men  clustered 
around  their  colors,  and  here  we  met  our  most  serious  loss 
in  killed  and  wounded.  As  the  men  drove  the  rebels  back, 
and  were  jumping  from  the  parapet  into  the  fort,  a  rebel 
Captain  cried  out:  "Never  surrender  to  the  d  —  d  Yan 
kees."  The  words  were  scarcely  out  of  his  mouth,  before 
John  Cole  of  B,  and  Ephraim  Williams  of  E,  clubbed 
their  guns,  and  he  soon  paid  for  the  remark  with  his  life. 
At  the  same  moment,  a  rebel  and  John  W.  Reusser  of  E, 
leveled  their  guns  upon  each  other.  They  each  fired  at  the 
same  instant,  the  rebel's  ball  grazing  Reusser's  ear,  and 
Reusser's  ball  going  through  the  breast  of  the  rebel. 
Forsythe  was  attacked  by  two  big  burly  rebels.  He  bayo- 


ONE    HtJNDRfiD    ANl)    SIXTEENTH    0.  V.  I. 

netted  one,  and  was  himself  bayonetted  in  the  leg  by  the 
other,  just  as  the  surrender  was  made.  Corporal  Freeman 
C.  Thompson  of  F,  and  Joseph  Van  Meter  of  G,  were  con 
spicuous  for  their  bravery  from  first  to  last  in  the  attack 
and  capture  of  Fort  Gregg,  and  were  each  awarded  a 
"Medal  of  Honor"  by  the  Secretary  of  War.  Corporal 
Thompson  was  knocked  off  the  parapet  into  the  ditch  twice 
by  clubbed  muskets.  A  third  time  he  mounted  it,  and 
lying  down  beside  Van  Meter,  they  two  fired  directly  into 
the  fort,  while  others,  unable  to  get  up,  handed  up  loaded 
guns,  and  re-loaded  those  handed  down  to  them  by  these 
two  gallant  soldiers.  Finally,  the  men  covering  the  para 
pet  on  all  sides,  the  rebels  who  had  been  in  partial  cover 
under  the  walls,  rose  up  and  made  a  last  desperate  effort  to 
drive  our  men  down.  Then  our  men  rose,  and  rushing 
down  into  the  fort,  engaged  in  a  hand  to  hand  struggle, 
and  forced  a  surrender  in  a  short  time.  In  the  final  strug 
gle,  Van  Meter  wrenched  a  rebel  flag  from  the  hands  of 
its  bearer.  Thirteen  men  in  the  division  were  awarded 
"Medals  of  Honor,"  and  all  accompanied  General  Gibbon 
in  charge  of  rebel  flags  to  Washington,  after  the  surrender 
of  Lee.  Joseph  Gerolds,  of  H,  seized  a  rebel  officer  on  the 
parapet,  and  after  a  desperate  struggle,  compelled  him  to 
surrender  his  sword.  Colonel  Teters  was,  as  usual,  con 
spicuous  for  his  great  gallantry,  and  led  the  regiment 
throughout  the  attack  with  the  utmost  fearlessness  and 
bravery.  All  the  officers  behaved  splendidly,  and  where 
all  did  so  nobly,  it  seems  invidious  to  single  out  any  for 
special  mention.  All,  however,  concede  that  Lieutenant 
Wm.  H.  Bush,  who  was  killed  in  the  charge,  and  Captain 
Mann,  Lieutenant  Wm.  Biddenharn,  and  Lieutenant  Reese 
Williams  greatly  distinguished  themselves,  and  added  fresh 
laurels  to  their  former  reputations  as  gallant  officers. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Potter,  in  command  of  the  brigade, 
says  in  his  report  of  the  battle  of  Fort  Gregg-     "  I  moved 


244  ONfi    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 

with  the  1 1 6th  Ohio  and  34th  Massachusetts  from  Hatcher's 
Run.  About  8  A.  M.  came  onto  the  field  in  front  of  Fort 
Gregg,  a  very  strong  position  held  by  the  enemy.  My 
command  supported  General  Foster's  division  of  the  24th 
A.  C.,  advancing  with  him.  As  we  advanced,  I  found 
some  rebel  pickets  behind  an  entrenched  line,  who  annoyed 
my  flank  at  first.  I  advanced  by  an  oblique  movement  to 
the  right,  and  then  by  a  left  half  wheel,  succeeded  in  plac 
ing  one  regiment  of  my  command,  the  n6th  Ohio,  on  the 
southern  front  of  the  fort.  This  ofave  me  a  direct  fire  on 

O 

this  front  and  an  enfilading  fire  on  the  westerly  front.  We 
advanced  rapidly  without  firing  till  we  reached  a  road  some 
fifty  yards  from  the  fort,  where  we  lay  down  and  poured  in 
a  rapid  and  accurate  fire.  We  suffered  severely  in  reach 
ing  this  point,  but  once  there  we  had  the  best  of  it.  After 
lying  here  some  twenty-five  minutes,  and  succeeding  in  a 
great  measure  in  silencing  the  enemy's  fire,  we  charged  the 
work  and  placed  our  colors  on  the  fort  among  the  first. 
The  attack  was  gallantly  made  and  most  stubbornly  re 
sisted.  The  enemy  refused  to  yield  till  we  were  fairly 
within  his  works.  My  loss  was  one  commissioned  officer 
and  sixteen  men  killed,  and  sixty-three  wounded."--  -Colonel 
Potter's  report,  April  2,  1865. 

In  this  movement  the  34th  Massachusetts  was  on  the 
right,  the  n6th  on  the  left,  and  when  the  "left  half  wheel" 
mentioned  by  Colonel  Potter  was  made,  the  n6th  bore  the 
brunt  of  the  movement  and  suffered  great  loss.  Colonel 
Potter  reports  seventeen  killed  and  sixty-three  wounded,  in 
cluding  one  commissioned  officer  killed,  Lieutenant  Bush, 
of  the  1 1 6th.  It  will  be  seen  that  our  killed  was  fifteen 
and  wounded  thirty-three.  General  Lincoln,  in  his  history 
of  the  34th  Massachusetts,  gives  the  loss  of  his  regiment  as 
five  killed  and  thirty-two  wounded.  Consolidating  these 
losses  makes  the  loss  of  the  two  regiments  twenty  killed 
and  sixty-five  wounded.  It  is  probable  that  the  severely 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  245 

wounded  in  our  regiment  on  the  ist  of  April  are  included 
in  our  report  for  the  2d,  and  that  the  discrepancy  in  the 
number  killed  is  accounted  for  by  including  a  few  who, 
being  mortally  wounded,  died  after  Colonel  Potter's  report 
of  casualties  was  made,  which  seems  to  have  been  made  on 
the  evening  after  the  battle.  The  loss  of  the  n6th  in  the 

O 

charge  exceeded  that  of  any  other  regiment  engaged,  being 
fifteen  killed  and  thirty-three  wounded.  It  is  given  in  full 
below : 

KILLED. 

Lieutenant  William  H.  Bush,  Company  B;  Sergeant  Fred.  E.  Humphrey,  Com 
pany  B;  Sergeant  Myron  R.  Hitchcock,  Company  B;  Corporal  James  M.  Hartley, 
Company  B:  Privates  William  Hall,  Company  C;  William  H.  Mohberly,  Company  C; 
Sergeant  John  G.  Reithmiller,  Company  E;  Corporal  Louis  W.  Mozena,  Company  E; 
Robert  S.  Hutcheson,  Company  E;  Gilbert  McCoy,  Company  E;  Samuel  Rult-ner, 
Company  E;  Martin  Hysell,  Company  G;  James  Jrwin  Rogers,  Compauy  H  ;  James 
Lindsay,  Company  K  ;  David  G.  Groce,  Company  K.  Total  killed,  15. 

WOUNDED. 

John  P.  Kibble,  Company  B;  Otis  P.  Henry,  Company  B;  Benj.  F.  McLain,  Com 
pany  B;  Philip  Feiger,  Company  B;  John  Truax,  Company  C;  Geo.  W.  Sampson' 
Company  C;  Sergeant  Wm.  O.  Belt,  Company  D;  Corporal  Samuel  Forsythe,  Company 
P;  Eli  Whitlatch,  Company  D;  John  M.  Bougher,  Company  E;  Frederick  Stephens, 
Company  E;  Levi  Howell,  Company  E:  Jacob  S.  Hurd,  Company  E;  Andrew  J.  Curtis, 
Company  E  ;  John  Schappat,  Company  E;  David  Amos,  Company  F;  Corporal  Edward 
King,  Company  F;  Valentine  Mahl,  Company  F;  Henry  Dillon,  Company  F;  George 
Ray,  Company  F;  Corporal  David  Longstreth,  Company  G;  Corporal  Edward  Lowry, 
Company  G;  Samuel  Barrett,  Company  G;  Sergeant  B.  F.  Sammons,  Company  H; 
Henry  C.  Mathews,  Company  H,  right  foot  shot  off  by  a  shell;  Cerporal  Jeremiah 
Swain,  Company  H;  Joseph  Smith,  Company  H;  James  R.  P.  Keyser,  Company  H; 
Nathaniel  Butler,  Company  H  ;  Corporal  Armstrong  Johnson,  Company  H  ;  Isaac  Yoho, 
Company  H;  Sergeant  Geo.  H.  Bean,  Company  I;  Charles  Andrews,  Company  K. 
Total  wounded,  33. 

Company  A  was  not  engaged  in  this  or  any  of  the  bat 
tles  of  this  campaign,  being  detached  as  Provost  Guard  at 
Division  Headquarters. 

In  a  letter  to  the  Athens  Messenger,  published  April 
2Oth,  1865,  Quartermaster  Sergeant  Wm.  T.  Pattersen 
says :  "  To  render  Petersburg  untenable  and  its  evacuation 
and  capture  certain,  Fort  Gregg,  a  formidable  'work,  de 
fended  by  men  selected  for  its  defense,  must  be  taken.  It 


246  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

was  situated  near  General  A.  P.  Hill's  headquarters.  The 
1 1 6th  was  one  of  the  regiments  selected  to  assault  and  take 
this  fort.  It  did  its  part  nobly.  Never  did  men  display 
greater  bravery.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Teters  was  conspicu 
ous  for  gallantry.  Every  officer  and  man  did  all  that  brave 
men  could  do.  Out  of  350  engaged,  the  n6th  lost  fifteen 
killed  and  thirty-five  wounded.  It  was  a  desperate  charge, 
and  one  of  the  few  instances  in  the  war  where  bayonets 
were  used.  Many  of  the  prisoners  bore  bayonet  wounds. 
The  rebel  General  A.  P.  Hill  was  killed  here." 

The  loss  of  our  regiment  on  the  2d  was  cause  of  great 
mourning.  Company  B  was  fearfully  stricken  in  the  death 
of  four  of  its  finest  men.  Lieutenant  Bush  was  a  brave 
man,  a  most  worthy  and  exemplary  citizen,  and  in  every 
way  that  a  man  could  be,  was  a  true  soldier  and  noble 
officer.  He  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Piedmont.  Ser 
geant  Humphrey  was  very  severely  wounded  in  the  battle 
of  Lynchburg,  in  the  shoulder  and  neck,  while  most  gal 
lantly  bearing  the  colors  of  the  regiment,  as  before  stated, 
and  remained  a  prisoner  for  several  months.  He  was  First 
Sergeant  of  his  company  at  the  time  of  his  death.  No  man 
in  the  company  made  a  better  record  as  a  soldier  than  Ser 
geant  Humphrey.  Sergeant  Hitchcock  was  a  finely  edu 
cated,  brave  and  courteous  gentleman,  and  was  always  to 
be  found  at  his  post  of  duty.  He  was  chief  of  Division  Or 
derlies  at  Division  Headquarters,  and  was  in  discharge  of 
his  duty  delivering  orders  on  the  field  when  he  received  a 
mortal  wound,  of  which  he  soon  after  died.  In  the  Athens 
(O.)  Messenger  of  March  i6th,  1861,  appears  an  account 
of  the  closing  exercises  of  the  "Third  Term  of  Tupper's 
Plains  Seminary,"  from  which  is  taken  the  following  men 
tion  of  Sergeant  Hitchcock,  then  a  student  at  the  Seminary : 
"The  music  selected  for  the  occasion  was  most  appropriate 
and  beautiful,  and  gave  evidence  of  the  ability  of  Prof.  M.  R. 
Hitchcock."  He  was  a  musician  of  very  high  order,  and 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  247 

often  relieved  the  monotony  and  dullness  of  camp  life  with 
his  sweet  singing.  He  organized  a  quartette  in  company  B 
which  was  not  easily  excelled.  Few  men  had  more  friends 
in  the  regiment  or  at  home  than  Sergeant  Hitchcock.  Cor 
poral  James  M.  Hartley  had  been  wounded  quite  severely 
in  the  head  at  Fisher's  Hill.  He  was  a  fine  man  and  a 
brave  and  efficient  soldier.  Sergeant  John  G.  Reithmiller 
was  a  splendid  soldier  and  highly  esteemed  man.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  he  was  the  Orderly  Sergeant  of  company 
E,  and  his  loss  was  a  great  one  to  his  company  and  his 
friends.  He,  too,  was  quite  severely  wounded  at  Lynch- 
burg.  Our  very  best  men  seemed  fated  to  fall  that  day. 
This  record  shows  that  these  men  were  always  in  the  fore 
front  of  battle.  By  a  little  comparison,  the  reader  will  find 
many  more  names  among  our  list  of  killed  and  wounded  of 
that  day  that  were  on  our  lists  of  wounded  in  battles  before. 
General  Turner,  in  his  report  of  the  battle  of  Fort 
Gregg,  says:  "During  the  night  of  the  ist  and  morning  of 
the  2d,  in  obedience  to  orders  received  direct  from  Major 
General  Ord,  I  massed  Colonel  Curtis'  and  Colonel  Potter's 
brigades  on  the  right  of  Colonel  Damby's  brigade  of  the 
ist  division  in  preparation  for  an  assault,  which,  however, 
was  countermanded  by  Major  General  Gibbon.  Shortly 
after  daybreak,  I  directed  General  Harris  to  advance  a 
strong  skirmish  line  up  to  the  enemy's  works  to  ascertain  if 
he  was  not  leaving,  of  which  I  had  strong  suspicions,  which 
was  accordingly  done.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Kellogg  of  the 
1 2 3d  Ohio,  of  the  ist  brigade,  who  had  been  left  on  the 
skirmish  line  with  his  regiment  under  General  Harris'  order, 
when  Lieutenant  Colonel  Potter's  brigade  was  moved  off 

o 

during  the  night,  advanced  with  his  regiment  with  General 
Harris'  line.  This  line,  after  some  slight  resistance,  carried 
the  enemy's  works,  capturing  two  guns,  three  battle  flags 
and  some  prisoners.  Before  General  Harris  had  reached 
the  enemy's  line,  I  received  an  order  to  send  two  brigades 


248  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

to  our  signal  tower  near  Fort  Gregg  in  support  of  the  6th 
corps,  which,  I  was  then  informed,  had  broken  the  enemy's 
line.  I  accompanied  these  two  brigades  (the  ist  and  2d) 
and  subsequently,  in  the  afternoon,  I  found  them  in  support 
of  Foster's  division,  which,  immediately  after  my  arrival, 
moved  to  the  assault  of  Fort  Gregg,  an  important  out-work 
of  the  enemy's  defenses  around  Petersburg.  Colonel  Curtis 
and  Colonel  Potter  moved  in  close  support  to  the  ist  divi 
sion,  and  joined  hands  with  Foster's  troops  in  the  desperate 
struggle  which  took  place  for  the  possession  of  Fort  Gregg. 
After  nearly  half  an  hour  of  desperate  lighting,  this  work 
was  carried,  but  with  the  loss  of  many  brave  officers  and 
men.  Immediately  after  the  capture  of  Fort  Gregg,  an  ad 
joining  work  of  the  enemy  was  carried  by  General  Harris, 
who  reported  to  me  shortly  after  with  its  garrison,  some 
sixty  in  number,  including  its  commander." — General  J.  W. 
Turners  report,  April  26,  1865. 

Two  of  the  cannon  here  captured  were  taken  from  Gen 
eral  Milroy  at  Winchester,  in  June,  1863. 

The  night  of  the  2d,  the  n6th  was  placed  on  picket  in 
front  of  another  fort  close  by,  into  which  it  advanced  its 
skirmishers  about  4  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  3d,  the 
enemy  abandoning  it  during  the  night.  In  a  report  made 
on  the  4th,  Colonel  Potter  says:  "I  have  the  honor  to  re 
port  that  on  the  night  of  the  2d,  I  placed  the  n6th  regi 
ment  O.  V.  I.  on  picket  in  front  of  my  brigade.  I  instructed 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Teters  commanding  to  post  his  videttes 
well  up  to  the  enemy's  works.  He  reports  that  about 
4  A.  M.,  finding  that  the  enemy  had  abandoned  the  works, 
he  advanced  a  portion  of  his  skirmish  line  into  the  fort. 
He  found  about  sixty  stand  of  arms  and  a  small  quantity  of 
tobacco."  The  fort  thus  occupied  was  Fort  Lee. 

On  the  morning  of  the  3d,  we  found  the  enemy  gone. 
Fort  Gregg  is  about  two  miles  from  Petersburg,  in  a  south 
westerly  direction,  but  with  it  and  the  works  taken  by  the 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  249 

6th  and  pth  corps  the  day  before,  Petersburg  must  easily 
fall,  and  so,  without  awaiting  our  coming,  the  rebels  evacu 
ated  it  during  the  night.  Early  in  the  morning,  we  received 
the  news  of  the  fall  of  Richmond  also,  and  very  soon  both 
Richmond  and  Petersburg  were  occupied  by  Federal  troops 
without  opposition.  O,  what  rejoicing!  What  cheering 
and  what  gladness  among  the  troops!  General  Deven's  di 
vision  occupied  Richmond.  But  the  work  was  not  yet  fin 
ished.  Lee  was  making  a  desperate  effort  to  escape,  and 
pursuit  was  begun  early  on  the  morning  of  the  31  St.* 

The  column  of  the  Army  of  the  James  under  Genera^ 
Ord  accompanied  by  General  Grant,  pushed  on  that  day 
fifteen  miles,  our  division  in  the  advance,  the  purpose  of  our 
march  being  to  get  between  Lee  and  Danville.  Jefferson 
Davis  again  says:  "This  was  done,  and  thus  Lee  was  pre 
vented  from  carrying  out  his  original  purpose,  and  directed 
his  course  toward  Lynchburg."  Our  column  marched 
along  the  Cox  road  to  Sutherland  Station,  ten  miles  west  of 
Petersburg,  and  from  that  point,  leaving  the  main  line  of 
march  of  the  body  of  the  army,  marched  along  the  railroad 
to  Wilson's  Station,  where  we  encamped  for  the  night. 
Still  following  the  railroad  on  the  5th,  our  division  in  the 
advance,  reached  Blacks  and  Whites  about  2  o'clock. 
Thence,  the  roads  being  very  good,  we  pushed  on  briskly 
to  Nottavvay,  nine  miles  from  Burkesville.  At  this  point, 
having  marched  twenty  miles,  it  was  proposed  to  stop  and 
rest.  But  at  half-past  6,  Sheridan's  dispatch  reached  Grant 
informing  him  of  the  state  of  things,  and  the  two  divisions 
of  the  24th  corps  were  pushed  on  to  Burkesville,  which  we 
reached  at  n  P.  M.  At  the  same  hour  Grant  joined 
Sheridan  at  Jettersville.  The  2d  and  6th  corps  had,  during 


"At  nightfall,  April  2d,  Lee's  army  commenced  crossing  the  Appomattox,  and 
he/ore  dawn  was  far  on  its  way  to  Amelia  Court  House,  Lee's  purpose  being,  as  previ 
ously  agreed  upon  in  a  conference  with  me,  to  march  to  Danville,  Virginia." — Jefferson 
Davis  in  "  Else  and  Fall  of  the  Confederate  Government." 


25O  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

the  day,  attacked  Lee's  retreating  army  near  Dratonville 
and  driven  it  across  Sailor's  Creek,  where  General  Sheridan 
met  it  with  the  cavalry.  The  head  of  Lee's  army  was  di 
rected  towards  Farmville.  After,  a  hard  fight  at  Sailor's 
Creek  about  10,000  of  the  enemy  surrendered,  among  the 
prisoners  being  Generals  Ewell,  Kershaw,  Curtis  Lee  and 
several  other  prominent  officers.  Lee,  with  the  remainder 
of  his  force,  made  his  way  toward  Farmville.  Early  on  the 
morning  of  the  same  day,  the  two  divisions  of  our  corps 
took  up  the  line  of  march  for  Farmville,  intending  to  head 
off  Lee  in  his  retreat.  It  was  a  tight  race  between  us. 
We  met  the  head  of  the  enemy's  column  at  Rice's  Station, 
where  our  regiment  was  engaged  with  considerable  loss, 
and  drove  them  back  upon  Farmville. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  6th,  the  I23d  Ohio,  54th 
Pennsylvania,  a  squadron  of  the  4th  Massachusetts  cavalry, 
and  a  large  pioneer  corps,  all  under  command  of  General 
Read,  were  hastened  forward  to  either  possess  themselves 
of  the  bridges  near  Farmville,  or  destroy  them.  This  small 
force  met  the  enemy  crossing  the  bridges  to  the  south  side 
of  the  Appomattox.  General  Read  at  once  attacked.  The 
enemy  fell  back  in  his  front,  only  to  allow  large  bodies  to 
fall  upon  his  flanks  and  rear,  when,  being  surrounded  by 
an  overwhelming  force,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Kellogg  was 
obliged  to  surrender,  the  gallant  General  Read  having  been 
killed.  But  a  delay  was  thus  occasioned,  which  enabled 
General  Ord  to  get  up  with  the  remainder  of  his  force  and 
place  himself  across  Lee's  path  southward.  Both  sides  im 
mediately  entrenched.  We  held  Lee  there  during  the  night 
of  the  6th.  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  7th,  the  2d  corps 
and  Crook's  division  of  cavalry  came  up  and  attacked  the 
rebels.  A  sharp  engagement  followed,  in  which  our  army 
suffered  considerable  loss,  and  Lee  was  driven  across  to  the 
north  side  of  the  Appomattox,  and  so  closely  was  he  fol 
lowed,  that  he  could  not  destroy  the  bridges,  and  the  2d  and 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  2$I 

6th  corps  and  a  division  of  cavalry  crossed  in  pursuit.  Only 
the  left  wing  of  our  regiment  was  engaged,  the  right  wing 
having  been  sent  down  the  Danville  Railroad,  the  morning 
of  the  6th,  from  Burkesville  Junction.  Our  loss  in  the  en 
gagement  on  the  evening  of  the  6th  and  morning  of  the  yth 
was  all  from  the  skirmish  line,  as  follows: 

KILLED. 
Roberts.  Hutcheson,  Company  E.— 1. 

WOUNDED. 

William  B.  McFarland,  Company  E;  Isaac  Littleton,  Company  E;  Samuel 
McConnell,  Company  E;  Thomas  Berry,  Company  K. — 4. 

At  High  Bridge  the  following,  who  were  pioneers,  were 
captured  upon  the  surrender  of  the  I2^d  Ohio  and  54th 
Pennsylvania : 

Uriah  Keddin,  Company  E ;  John  Baker,  Company  B;  John  J.  Walters,  Company 
E  ;  William  H.  Bassett,  Company  C  ;  Jacob  Dudley,  Company  H  ;  John  C.  Bailey,  Com 
pany  I  ;  John  E.  Ewers,  Company  I ;  Hop.son  L.  Sherman,  Company  I ;  Perry  Gardner, 
Company  K  ;  James  Lafever,  Company  A.— 10. 

Colonel  Potter  reports  the  loss  of  the  brigade  in  the  en 
gagement  at  Rice's  Station  as  one  killed  and  five  wounded, 
so  it  will  be  seen  that  all  the  loss  fell  upon  the  n6th.  He 
makes  no  mention  of  the  prisoners  we  lost  at  High  Bridge. 
Early  on  the  morning  of  the  7th,  the  enemy  was  found 
to  have  abandoned  his  position,  and  we  moved  on  to  Farm- 
ville,  where  we  remained  until  5  o'clock  the  morning  of  the 
8th,  when  we  moved  out  on  the  Lynchburg  road,  and  fol 
lowing  General  Sheridan's  cavalry  all  day,  went  into  camp 
near  Appomattox  Station,  about  IIP.  M.  General  Grant 
passed  us  on  the  road  serenely  smoking  a  cigar  and  pushing 
liesurely  to  the  front  on  a  small  black  horse.  No  one  would 
think  such  momentous  events  were  transpiring  under  his 
direction.  He  appeared  as  cool  and  calm  as  if  on  a  pleas 
ure  trip.  The  roads  were  terrible.  Rain  fairly  poured 


252  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

nearly  all  the  time,  yet,  notwithstanding,  the  army  moved 
with  incredible  speed.  It  was  the  hardest  and  best  day's 
march,  taking  the  state  of  the  weather  and  condition  of  the 
roads  into  consideration,  that  was  made  by  any  troops 
during  the  war,  the  distance  made  from  5  A.  M.  to  n  p.  M. 
being  about  thirty-eight  miles.  The  march  was  in  a  south 
westerly  direction  till  about  noon,  when  it  turned  abruptly 
in  a  northwestwardly  direction.  Every  soldier  felt  that  the 
object  of  our  movement  was  to  keep  south  of  Lee,  and 
when  wre  turned  to  the  northwest  all  seemed  to  realize  that 
the  end  was  near,  and  with  renewed  energies  the  men 
pushed  on.  The  firing  of  the  2d  and  6th  corps  pursuing 
Lee  became  more  and  more  distinct  as  we  advanced,  and 
the  eagerness  of  the  men  to  get  across  Lee's  track  knew  no 
bounds.  The  cavalry,  under  Sheridan,  pushed  directly  for 
Appomattox  Station.  Late  in  the  evening,  Sheridan  struck 
the  railroad  at  Appomattox  Station,  drove  the  rebels  from 
that  point,  and  captured  twenty-five  pieces  of  artillery  and 
a  large  amount  of  other  war  material,  including  a  hospital 
train  and  four  trains  loaded  with  provisions  for  Lee's  army. 
At  3  o'clock  the  morning  of  the  pth,  we  were  again  on  the 
move,  and  after  marching  four  or  five  miles,  the  last  half  of 
the  distance  at  nearly  a  double  quick,  we  went  into  line  of 
battle  on  the  right  of  the  road  leading  from  Appomattox 
Court  House  to  Lynchburg,  the  ist  division  taking  position 
on  the  left  of  the  road.  Sheridan's  cavalry  was  in  our  front 
dismounted,  fighting  with  all  their  might  to  hold  the  enemy 
until  the  infantry  should  come  up.  The  rebels  were  press 
ing  on  hard  and  rapidly,  hoping  to  break  through  before 
the  arrival  of  the  infantry,  and  before  their  furious  attacks 
the  cavalry  was  stubbornly  falling  back.  As  the  cavalry 
met  our  infantry  lines  rapidly  advancing,  they  sent  up  a 
cheer  which  spoke  the  relief  they  felt  and  their  gladness  at 
seeing  us  there.  We  were  square  across  Lee's  track  and  in 
the  very  front  of  the  head  of  his  retreating  and  escaping 


ONE    HUNDRED   AND   SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  253 

army.  The  enemy  advanced  eagerly  on  the  charge  as  the 
cavalry  fell  back  and  around  our  flanks,  evidently  resolved 
now  to  break  through,  when  lo!  at  the  edge  of  the  woods 
appeared  the  -long,  strong  lines  of  our  infantry  coming  out 
\vith  a  yell.  They  recoiled  and  shrank  back  as  if  para 
lyzed!  The  infantry  pushed  on,  and,  as  it  advanced  to  the 
open  ground,  before  it,  could  be  seen,  in  the  valley  about  the 
Court  House  below,  the  broken  fragments  of  a  once  great 
and  proud  army.  We  knew  the  2d  and  6th  corps  were  be 
yond  in  the  rear  of  Lee,  for  we  could  hear  them  firing,  and 
that  now,  anyhow,  Lee  and  his  army  were  surrounded! 

Before  advancing  into  the  open  ground,  the  lines  were 
halted,  aligned  and  prepared  for  the  onset.  Starting  again 
after  but  a  moment's  delay,  our  corps  moved  steadily  for 
ward  to  the  attack,  every  man  as  eager  for  the  fray  as 
though  fresh  from  a  night's  rest  and  his  morning's  coffee. 
It  was  to  be  a  charge,  arid  the  front  line  was  fixing  bayonets 
as  it  advanced.  What  was  present  of  the  n6th  was  on  the 
skirmish  line  well  on  in  the  advance,  when  on  a  sudden 
"out  from  the  enemy's  line  comes  a  rider,  bound  on  bound, 
"bearing  a  white  flag  of  truce,  to  ask  for  time  to  consum- 
"mate  surrender."  "Halt!"  "Halt!"  "Halt!"  "Cease  fir 
ing,"  rang  out  all  along  our  hot  pressing  lines.  Reluctantly 
the  eager  troops  stopped,  and  leaning  on  their  rifles  watched 
the  approach  of  the  horseman  bearing  the  white  flag.  As 
he  neared  the  middle  of  the  space  between  the  lines,  he  was 
met  by  an  officer  from  our  side,  and  at  the  same  time  the 
white  flag  appeared  at  different  points  along  the  enemy's 
lines.  The  meaning  of  this  was  soon  spread  among  the 
troops.  The  men  mechanically,  and  without  orders,  stacked 
arms.  Grant  now  soon  came  riding,  rather  faster  than 
usual,  up  to  Sheridan,  held  a  brief  conversation,  and  then 
rode  forward  to  where  Lee  was  said  to  be  awaiting  him. 
In  a  very  brief  time  he  returned.  For  a  few  moments 
there  was  a  deathlike  stillness,  as  though  everyone  was 


254  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

trying  to  comprehend  and  take  in  the  full  import  of  the 
scene  before  him.  But  soon  some  one  screamed  out  in  a 
cheer,  and  the  spell  was  broken.  Instantly  the  whole  army 
broke  out  in  continuous,  thundering,  long-drawn-out  cheer 
ing,  yelling,  screaming,  which,  beyond  doubt,  was  the  hap 
piest,  heartiest,  gladdest  ever  listened  to  by  mortal  man. 
Officers  and  men  threw  up  their  caps  and  as  they  came 
down  caught  them  on  their  swords  or  bayonets  or  stamped 
them  into  the  ground.  As  soon  as  exhaustion  shut  off  the 
longest  winded  and  collapsed  the  strongest  lungs,  our  ears 
were  greeted  with  tumultuous  cheering  over  among  the 
rebels.  It  seemed  as  though  both  sides  were  overjoyed 
and  would  never  cease  their  noisy  demonstrations. 

As  remarked  above,  the  left  wing  of  the  n6th,  at  the 
moment  the  white  flag  appeared,  was  advancing-  on  the  skir 
mish  line.  The  satisfaction  which  this  fact  afforded  that 
wing  of  the  regiment  may  be  seen  in  the  entry  each  com 
pany  made  upon  its  "pay  roll"  on  the  3Oth  of  April,  1865. 
In  the  "record  of  events"  made  at  that  date,  we  find  on 
each  company's  roll  the  following  memoranda:  "This 
company  was  engaged  in  the  recent  campaign  of  General 
Grant  which  resulted  in  the  capture  of  Richmond  and  Lee's 
whole  army.  Broke  camp  north  of  the  James,  March  25, 
1865,  marched  to  Hatcher's  Run,  distance  -twenty-five 
miles,  there,  3ist,  engaged  the  enemy  with  success.  April 
2d  took  part  in  the  capture  of  Fort  Gregg,  and  then  en 
gaged  in  the  pursuit  and  capture  of  Lee  and  his  army  at 
Appomattox,  Virginia,  April  9,  1865,  this  company  being  on 
the  skirmish  line  at  the  time  of  his  surrender"  This  was  a 
final  record  well  earned,  and  one  of  which  the  regiment  was 
justly  very  proud.  It  paid  it  well  for  all  its  hard  fighting, 
and  the  hardships  it  had  so  patiently  endured. 

The  last  shell  fired  by  the  enemy  injured  James  Davis, 
Company  G.  A  comrade  of  his,  Orderly  Sergeant  Francis 
A.  Bartley,  writes  of  the  incident  as  follows:  "The  last 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  255 

cannon  Lee's  army  fired  at  us  threw  a  shell  into  the  woods 
as  we  were  advancing.  As  it  exploded,  a  piece  of  it 
knocked  down  James  Davis,  of  company  G,  merely  stun 
ning  him,  however,  as  he  came  up  in  ranks  again  in  a  few 
minutes  after\vard." 

Of  course  no  one  need  stop  to  further  describe  the  joy 
of  that  victorious  army  over  the  surrender  of  Lee  and  his 
army,  nor  recount  the  details,  so  often  told,  of  the  surren 
der.  These  became  long  ago  the  history  of  the  Nation,  as 
well  as  the  proud  history  of  the  regiments  there  present. 
Our  lines  were  again  re-formed  upon  the  restoration  of 
order,  and  moving  forward  halted,  stacked  arms  and  went 
into  camp  a  short  distance  from  the  surrendered  rebel 
army.  How  sweet  was  the  rest  that  followed!  How  tired 
that  infantry  was,  no  one  can  understand  who  was  not  on 
that  memorable  march  from  Fort  Gregg  to  Appomattox,  a 
march  which  has  no  parallel  in  modern  history. 

Toward  evening  of  the  pth,  the  I2^d  Ohio,  54th  Penn 
sylvania,  and  also  those  of  our  regiment  captured  at  High 
Bridge,  came  in.  They  gave  us  many  particulars  occurring 
inside  the  rebel  lines  prior  to  and  at  the  time  of  the  surren 
der.  They  reported  that  generally  the  rebels  manifested  as 
much  satisfaction  over  the  surrender  as  our  own  men  did, 
and  that  the  cheering  we  heard  came  from  the  rebels. 
Some  of  those  closely  identified  with  the  rebellion  were, 
however,  dreadfully  broken  down,  and  a  few  such  shed 
tears.  Shortly  after  the  white  flags  were  raised,  General 
Crook  came  by  where  our  division  was  standing  behind  its 
stacked  arms.  The  men  cheered  him  lustily  and  gathered 
about  him  to  shake  hands.  He  spoke  a  few  kind  words  to 
them,  among  other  things  saying:  "There  is  not  much 
use  for  my  cavalry  while  this  old  West  Virginia  division  is 
here."  The  division  wras  in  the  advance  nearly  all  the  time 
from  Petersburg  until  Lee  was  headed  off  and  brought  to 
bay  at  Appomattox,  and  no  better  marching  was  ever  done 


256  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  f. 

by  any  army  than  it  led  the  24th  and  5th  corps  to  do 
during  that  time.  The  following  is  General  Gibbon's  order 
issued  on  the  march,  relating  to  the  24th  corps: 

HEADQUARTERS  24xn  ARMY  CORPS,         ) 
BEHIND  RICHMOND,  April  3d,  1865.  j 
(General  Order  No.  41.) 

With  great  satisfaction  the  Major  General  commanding  congratulates  his  gallant 
command  upon  the  successful  operations  of  the  past  few  days.  The  24th  Army  Corps 
has  demonstrated  that  with  a  well  organized  and  disciplined  force  no  military  achieve 
ment  is  impossible.  The  marching  has  been  superior  to  anything  of  the  kind  here 
tofore  witnessed,  while  the  desperate  assault  upon  Fort  Gregg,  the  last  of  the  enemy's 
strongholds  around  Petersburg,  entitles  this  command  to  a  place  alongside  their  late 
gallant  comrades  of  Fort  Fisher.  Your  commander  is  proud  of  you. 

By  command  of 

MAJOR  GENERAL  JOHN  GIBBON. 

EDWARD  MEADE,  Lieutenant  Colonel  and  A.  D.  C. 

General  Gibbon's  command,  the  5th  corps  under  Gen 
eral  Griffin,  and  MacKenzie's  cavalry,  were  designated  to 
remain  at  Appomattox  Court  House  till  the  paroling  of  the 
surrendered  army  was  completed,  and  to  take  charge  of  the 
public  property.  The  remainder  of  the  army  returned  im 
mediately  to  the  vicinity  of  Burkesville.  During  the  next 
two  days  the  work  of  paroling  prisoners  and  gathering  in 
public  property  continued.  It  was  said  that  fifty  cannon 
were  found  buried.  Our  soldiers  and  the  rebels  were  as 
sociable  and  jolly  together  as  could  be.  No  one  would 
have  thought  them  ever  to  have  been  enemies.  They  were 
constantly  passing  back  and  forth  between  town  and  their 
camps,  and  making  arrangements  to  go  to  their  homes, 
which  they  all  seemed  very  anxious  to  reach. 

Of  the  last  few  days  of  marching,  General  Devens,  of 
the  3d  division  of  the  Army  of  the  James,  said :  "  On  the 
morning  of  the  pth  of  April,  by  a  march  unprecedented  in 
the  annals  of  warfare,  the  Army  of  the  James  had  placed 
itself  across  the  Lynchburg  road  and  closed  the  avenue  of 
escape.  On  that  morning  Lieutenant  General  Gordon,  of 
Georgia,  who  commanded  the  advance,  said  to  General  Lee 
that  his  way  was  barred.  'It  can  be  nothing  but  cavalry,' 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  257 

said  General  Lee,  i brush  them  away;  no  cavalry  can  stand 
against  infantry.'  It  was  done  as  General  Lee  ordered,  but 
as  the  cavalry  fell  back,  they  revealed  the  long  and  gleam 
ing  line  of  steel  which  marked  the  line  of  infantry  of  the 
Army  of  the  James.  There  were  Ord  and  Gibbon,  there 
were  Turner  and  R.  S.  Foster  at  the  head  of  their  divisions. 
To  throw  his  exhausted  troops  upon  that  wall  of  steel  was 
a  madness  of  which  the  rebel  chieftain  was  not  capable, 
and  the  sword  of  Lee  was  laid  in  the  conquering  hand  of 
Grant.'1 

In  General  Lincoln's  history  of  the  34th  Massachusetts 
we  find  an  extract  from  a  Richmond  paper  of  April,  1865, 
evidently  in  charge  of  a  Union  editor  then,  which  we  repro 
duce  here:  "The  ist  and  2d  divisions  of  the  24th  army 
corps,  who  were  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  Lee  to  Appo- 
mattox  Court  House,  after  the  fall  of  Petersburg,  returned* 
to  this  city  on  Tuesday  morning.  It  is  reported  by  military 
men  that  General  Lee's  surrender  was  necessitated  in  con 
sequence  of  the  severe  marching  and  skillful  maneuvering 
of  these  forces.  Their  marching  will  compare  with  any  on 
record.'  For  four  successive  days  they  marched  respect 
ively  eighteen,  twenty-three,  twenty-seven  and  thirty-eight 
miles.  By  this  rapid  marching  they  were  enabled  to  over 
take  and  surround  the  Confederate  forces.  Had  these  two 
divisions  been  later  in  getting  round  to  the  right  of  General 
Lee,  it  is  confidently  believed  that  he  would  have  made  his 
escape.  It  was  owing  to  General  Ord's  energy  that  his 
troops  marched  thirty-eight  miles  from  3  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  April  8th  to  n  o'clock  the  following  night, 
when  they  quietly  threw  themselves  down  upon  the  ground 
to  rest,  in  front  of  Lee's  army,  without  the  enemy's  sus 
pecting,  as  acknowledged  on  the  following  morning,  that 
there  was  an  infantry  soldier  within  ten  miles  of  them,  and 
by  four  o'clock  on  the  following  morning  in  line  of  battle, 
and  fighting  until  a  flag  of  truce  was  sent  from  the  enemy 

17 


258  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1. 

for  a  conference.     The  march  certainly  has  no  parallel  in 
the  history  of  the  rebellion,  or,  any  war  in  Europe."* 

But  the  great,  controlling,  overpowering,  conquering 
genius  of  this  last  and  decisive  campaign  was  General 
Philip  H.  Sheridan.  To  him  was  assigned  the  work  of 
turning  the  enemy's  right  at  Five  Forks.  After  accom 
plishing  this  he  took  up  the  task  of  cutting  off  Lee's  escape. 
The  5th  and  24th  corps  were  hurried  on  after  his  cavalry. 
At  one  time,  while  Sheridan  was  north  of  the  Appomattox, 
Lee  was  very  near  making  his  escape  at  Farmville,  and  but 
for  the  unparalleled  marching  of  our  corps,  which  met  and 
stopped  him  at  Rice's  Station,  he  would  most  certainly 
have  succeeded  in  getting  away  with  a  large  portion  of  his 
army.  But  at  this  point  he  was  driven  back  across  to  the 
north  side  of  the  Appomattox  River,  and  from  that  time 
till  he  reached  Appomattox  Court  House,  kept  on  that  side 
of  the  river  by  the  5th  and  24th  corps,  whose  line  of  march 
was  on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  He  was  followed  vigor 
ously  by  the  2d  and  6th  corps,  and  so  pushed  to  his  best. 
His  escape  was  assured  if  he  reached  there  ahead  of  the 
5th  and  24th  corps,  for  although  Sheridan  could  and  did 
reach  it  before  him  with  his  cavalry,  yet,  as  Lee  remarked, 
"no  cavalry  can  stand  against  infantry,"  and  he  could 
"brush  them  away."  But  the  terrible  energy  of  Sheridan 
was  equal  to  the  task,  and  these  two  corps  were  thrown 
across  the  track  of  Lee  just  in  time,  and  with  not  a  half 
hour  to  spare.  As  our  infantry  went  into  line  of  battle  on 
the  run  in  the  rear  of  the  exhausted  cavalry,  Lee  was  at 
the  very  same  moment  engaged  in  the  easy  work  of  "  brush- 


*Jefter9on  Davis  says  of  Lee's  last  hope  and  of  his  purpose  in  directing  his  course 
toward  Lynchburg  when  turned  from  Danville  at  Farmville:  "  Lee  had  never  contem 
plated  surrender.  He  had  long  before,  in  language  similar  to  that  employed  by 
Washington  during  the  revolution,  expressed  to  me  the  belief  that  in  the  mountains  of 
"Virginia  he  could  carry  on  the  war  for  twenty  years,  and  in  directing  his  march  toward 
Lynchburg,  it  may  be  that  as  an  alternative  he  hoped  to  reach  those  mountains,  and 
with  the  advantage  which  the  topography  would  give,  yet  to  baffle  the  hosts  which  were 
following  him." — Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Confederate  Government.  Volume  II,  Page  656. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  2$p 

ing  them  away "  with  his  infantry.  A  few  minutes  more, 
and  he  would  have  been  through,  and  by  the  night  of  that 
day  would  have  occupied  the  fortifications  of  Lynchburg 
with  his  army,  and  the  struggle  have  been  prolonged. 

General  Sheridan  was  never  measured  correctly  by  the 
people  of  the  country.  The  estimate  put  upon  him  that  he 
was  a  fierv,  hot-headed,  dashing  fellow,  a  sort  of  torrent  or 
cyclone,  without  genius  to  plan  or  power  to  execute,  does 
him  great  injustice.  In  my  judgment,  no  officer  in  the 
army  combined  in  such  harmony  the  bravery  of  the  soldier 
with  the  calm  and  cool  penetration  of  the  General.  While 
he  possessed  daring  resolution,  he  also  possessed  modera 
tion  and  most  excellent  judgment.  Possessing  the  wild 
ardor  of  the  warrior,  the  havoc,  roar  and  excitement  of  the 
battle  field  only  quickened  his  naturally  keen  perceptions 
and  made  him  capable  of  executing  at  the  most  critical  mo 
ments,  the  most  unexpected  and  unlooked-for  movements. 
His  heroic  and  successful  exploits  on  every  battle  field,  from 
Stone  River  to  Cedar  Creek,  to  Five  Forks,  to  Appomat- 
tox,  show  him  to  be  a  man  of  not  only  great  personal 
bravery,  but  a  man  of  genius,  judgment,  great  resources,  in 
exhaustible  expedients  and  wonderful  executive  powers.  In 
the  days  of  chivalry  he  would  have  been  a  knight  of  un 
common  renown.  Few  men  ever  lived  who  were  <rreater 

O 

leaders,  who  were  greater  commanders,  or  who  possessed 
in  an  equal  degree  his  power  to  inspire  others  with  his  own 
fire,  dash  and  daring.  No  officer  in  our  army  could  be 
compared  with  him  in  this  important  respect.  When  the 
impartial  history  of  that  war  comes  to  be  written,  this  will 
be  the  future  estimate  of  General  Sheridan. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

MARCH    TO  LYNCHBURG BACK    TO  RICHMOND TRIUMPHAL 

ENTRY  OF    THE  REBEL  CAPITAL PREPARING  FOR  HOME 

—  MUSTERED  OUT TRANSFERS  TO  THE  62 D  OHIO OFF 

FOR  HOME HOME. 

At  noon  on  the  i2th,  our  division  started  for  Lynch 
burg,  marched  sixteen  miles  and  halted  for  the  night  within 
seven  miles  of  the  place.  Rebel  officers  and  soldiers  were 
all  along  the  road,  making  for  home.  There  were  nearly 
as  many  of  them  as  of  us.  Companies,  squads  and  large 
and  small  parties  of  them  were  everywhere  in  the  roads, 
fields,  woods  and  houses.  Negroes  in  great  numbers  \vere 

O  c"> 

shouting  around  us  all  along  the  road.  It  was  a  strange 
sight.  At  night  the  rebels  camped  with  us,  ate  with  us, 
slept  with  us,  and  told  camp  stories  with  us.  With  scarce 
an  exception  they  were  glad  the  war  was  over,  and  they  on 
their  way  to  their  homes.  There  was  not  half  the  rancor 
ous  feeling  among  them  that  we  found  among  the  citizens 
who  had  not  been  in  the  army.  At  5  the  next  morning,  we 
were  on  the  road.  Had  not  gone  more  than  two  miles 
before  we  came  to  a  creek,  where  we  found  the  bridges 
burned.  The  troops  crossed  some  distance  below  on  a 
canal  bridge.  The  railroad  bridge  across  the  James  River 
Canal  was  also  burned.  Bridges  had  to  be  built  for  the 
trains,  which  delayed  us  till  after  noon,  and  we  did  not 
reach  Lynchburg  until  about  4  p.  M.  The  rebels  had  laid 
out  extensive  fortifications  about  Lynchburg,  with  the  in- 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  261 

tention  of  making  a  stand  there,  and  thousands  of  negroes 
had  recently  been  at  work  upon  them.  Great  quantities  of 
artillery  had  been  thrown  into  the  canal,  a  lot  lay  here  and 
there  spiked,  with  the  carriages  either  cut  down  or  burned, 
the  canal,  roads,  streets,  yards  and  houses  were  full  of 
sabres,  muskets,  carbines  and  all  kinds  of  war  material. 
No  such  sight  was  ever  before  witnessed  as  we  beheld  as 
we  marched  through  the  city.  Thousands  of  negroes 
thronged  the  way,  clapping  their  hands,  shouting  and  sing 
ing,  and  praying,  and  thanking  God  that  they  \\erefree! 
They  were  frantic  with  delight,  did  all  sorts  of  peculiar, 
novel  and  extremely  ludicrous  things.  Their  joy  seemed 
unspeakable,  which  they  tried  to  express  by  actions  the 
most  peculiar  and  singular,  and  which,  among  themselves, 
seemed  to  be  full  of  meaning  and  expression.  Such  looks  of 
gladness;  such  shouts  of  joy;  such  blessings;  such  prayers! 
Those  poor  people  will  never  be  happier  in  Heaven  than 
they  were  on  the  evening  of  the  i3th  of  April,  A.  D.  1865. 
We  halted  in  the  streets,  and  then  the  rush  they  made  for 
us  nearly  took  us  off  our  feet.  It  seemed  impossible  for 
their  joy  to  exhaust  itself.  Being  short  of  rations,  we  were 
hungry.  On  learning  this,  they  rushed  off,  soon  returning 
on  the  run  with  everything  they  could  find  that  was  eatable, 
corn  bread  and  bacon  largely  predominating.  In  all  this 
scarcely  a  citizen  was  to  be  seen,  none,  in  fact,  save  of  the 
poorer  classes.  As  we  again  took  up  the  line  of  march 
through  the  city,  we  were  followed  by  thousands  of  negroes 
with  songs,  prayers  and  thanksgivings.  The  men  were  by 
this  time  all  well  fed,  and  were  carrying  abundance  for 
another  meal.  We  have  no  doubt  that  many  an  aristocratic 
larder  and  cellar  was  scarce  of  provisions  that  night.  Our 
regiment  finally  went  into  camp  about  a  mile  beyond  the 
city,  and  near  our  battle  ground  of  June  18,  1864. 

General  Turner,  of  our  division,  assumed  command  of 
the  post,  and  at  once  issued  very  strict  orders  forbidding 


262  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

men  entering  houses  or  committing  depredations  of  any 
kind  upon  citizens,  or  public  and  private  property.  On  the 
next  day,  many  of  our  officers  and  men  visited  the  battle 
ground  of  1864  and  made  search  for  the  graves  of  our 
fallen  heroes,  especially  for  that  of  our  lamented  Captain 
Keyes.  We  were  unsuccessful.  Inquiry  finally  led  us  to 
the  records  of  the  undertakers  of  the  city,  from  which  we 
readily  found  his  and  other  graves.  We  found  Captain 
Keyes'  grave  on  the  Seminary  Hill,  west  of  the  Seminary, 
and  in  front  of  the  rebel  breastworks  thrown  up  against 
Hunter.  It  was  to  this  Seminary,  which  was  used  as  a 
hospital,  that  the  Captain  was  taken  by  the  rebels,  and 
here  he  lay  till  he  died,  on  the  ipth  of  July.  A  large  num 
ber  of  Union  dead  are  buried  in  this  cemetery,  which  is  now 
known  as  "  The  Poplar  Grove  National  Cemetery."  Cap 
tain  Keyes  is  buried  in  "grave  333,  section  E.  division  E." 
The  burial  place  of  others  of  the  n6th  at  Lynchburg  will 
be  found  in  the  list,  given  elsewhere,  of  names  of  men  of  our 
regiment  buried  in  Southern  cemeteries.  General  Harris 
made  a  speech  to  the  negroes  in  the  afternoon,  giving  them 
good  advice  in  the  exercise  of  their  freedom.  Rations  were 
issued  to  the  poor,  and  to  the  paroled  prisoners  on  their 
way  home.  The  rebel  soldiers  were  surprised  at  our  kind 
ness  to  them,  and  at  the  leniency  of  the  Government. 

At  3  P.  M.  on  the  iSth,  our  regiment,  with  its  division, 
started  back  toward  Richmond.  Camped  that  night  about 
seven  miles  out.  Next  morning  we  started  at  6.  After 
going  six  or  seven  miles,  a  train  on  the  South  Side  Railroad 
took  most  of  the  3d  brigade  on  board.  Ours  marched  on 
some  distance  beyond  Appomattox  Station  and  camped. 
The  news  of  the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln  reached 
us  that  night.  It  was  not  credited,  and  hence  created  very 
little  excitement.  We  reached  Farmville  on  the  iSth,  where 
we  received  newspapers  which  confirmed  the  sad  news  of 
the  assassination  of  the  President.  The  revulsion  of  feeling 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  263 

and  the  terrible  depression  it  caused  among  the  soldiers  has 
never  been,  and  can  never  be,  described.  President  Lincoln 
was  regarded  by  the  army  in  the  light  of  an  exceedingly 
kind  and  indulgent  father,  and  the  mourning  his  death  cre 
ated  is  indescribable.  A  little  way  beyond  Burkesville 
Junction,  on  the  2Oth,  that  part  of  the  regiment  which  had 
been  on  the  Danville  Railroad  since  the  6th  joined  us,  bring 
ing  with  it  a  large  number  of  prisoners,  horses  and  mules. 

It  is  now  in  place  to  mention  the  services  of  the  right 
wing,  which  had  been  sent  down  the  Danville  Railroad  from 
Burkesville  Junction,  under  Captain  Mann,  on  the  6th.  The 
Captain  was  ordered  to  go  hastily  down  the  road  and  take 
a  position,  with  a  view  to  capturing  any  supply  or  other 
trains  which  it  was  supposed  Jeff  Davis,  who  had  passed 
down  just  before  we  reached  the  Junction,  would  send  up  to 
Lee.  The  Captain  proceeded  down  the  road,  capturing 
many  prisoners  as  he  advanced.  Reaching  Meherrin  Sta 
tion,  he  found  a  lot  of  corn,  to  which  a  squad  of  rebel  cav 
alry  was  helping  itself.  His  skirmishers  soon  drove  them 
off.  The  whole  neighborhood  was  alarmed  by  the  firing, 
and  the  presence  of  Union  troops  caused  great  excitement. 
Breaking  the  road  was  the  work  of  but  a  few  moments. 
He  then  stationed  his  men  in  a  good  position,  well  under 
cover  and  out  of  sight  of  any  approaching  trains.  Very 
soon  they  heard  the  rumbling  of  a  train,  and  then  the 
whistle  of  an  engine,  evidently  at  the  first  station  below. 
They  waited  anxiously  for  its  approach.  But  all  at  once 
there  was  heard  sharp  whistling  to  put  on  brakes.  The 
noise  of  the  moving  train  ceased  for  a  moment,  "  off  brakes" 
was  whistled  in  a  manner  that  indicated  an  excited  engineer 
was  in  the  cab,  and  then  as  the  rumbling  noise  of  the  train 
began  to  grow  fainter  and  fainter,  they  saw  that  their  game 
had  escaped  them,  information  of  their  whereabouts  having 
doubtless  been  conveyed  to  those  in  charge  of  the  train  by 
the  cavalry  driven  from  Meherrin.  In  the  evening,  the 


264  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

Captain  observed  rebel  cavalry  hovering  about  and  watch 
ing  his  movements.  Anticipating  a  night  attack,  he  pre 
pared  himself  by  fortifying  his  position.  Chaplain  Logan 
accompanied  this  wing  of  the  regiment,  and  observing  the 
threatening  appearance  of  things,  went  to  the  Captain  and 
said  to  him :  "  Captain,  we  will  no  doubt  be  attacked  dur 
ing  the  night,  and  as  John  -  -  never  does  us  much  good 
in  a  right,  I  will  esteem  it  a  favor  if  you  will  give  me  his 
gun."  This  was  just  like  Chaplain  Logan,  who  was  a 
"  righting  parson,"  in  the  true  and  patriotic  sense  of  the 
term.  But  the  Captain  and  his  men  were  not  attacked  that 
night,  and  saw  no  more  rebels  until  they  came  streaming 
through  on  their  way  home  from  Appomattox.  The  com 
mand  was  actively  engaged  in  scouting  and  preventing  for 
aging  parties,  of  our  own  and  the  rebels,  from  pillaging, 
and  in  gathering  up  prisoners,  horses,  mules  and  other  rebel 
property.  The  citizens  about  Meherrin  soon  recovered  from 
their  alarm,  and  treated  our  men  with  great  kindness,  fur 
nishing  them  cheerfully  with  plenty  of  provisions.  They 
expressed  regrets  when  the  Captain  and  his  men  were  or 
dered  to  rejoin  their  regiment,  for  they  were  thus  left 
without  protection  from  the  gangs  of  marauders  with  which 
the  country  was  at  that  stage  of  proceedings  overrun. 

We  lay  at  Burkesville  during  the  2Oth  and  2ist.  On 
the  22d  we  started  direct  for  Richmond,  keeping  on  the 
railroad  most  of  the  time.  Passed  through  Jennings,  Jet- 
tersville  and  Section  House,  and  camped  within  a  couple 
miles  of  Amelia  Court  House.  The  230!,  we  marched 
twenty  miles,  and  on  the  24th  thirteen  miles,  camping 
within  two  miles  of  Richmond.  The  next  day  at  8  A.  M., 
we  passed  through  Manchester,  and  crossed  the  James 
River  on  pontoons,  just  one  month  from  our  leaving  Camp 
Holly.  On  striking  Main  Street,  the  3d  division  of  our 
corps,  which  had  been  in  possession  of  Richmond  since  its 
evacuation,  the  night  of  the  2d  of  April,  was  dra\vn  up  to 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  265 

receive  us,  cheering,  presenting  arms,  and  bands  playing. 
It  was  a  befitting  welcome  to  troops  returning  from  a  cam 
paign  so  fruitful  of  results.  We  were  cheered  everywhere 
as  the  kw  heroes  of  Appomattox."  We  passed  directly 
through  Richmond,  and  went  into  camp  about  two  miles 
out  on  the  Lvnchburg  pike.  Here  we  lay,  with  some 
changes  of  camp,  until  the  i4th  of  June,  when  the  regiment 
was  mustered  out. 

On  the  3Oth  of  May,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Teters  received 
his  commission  as  Brevet  Lieutenant  Colonel,  and  Lieuten 
ant  Wm.  Bidclenharn  as  Brevet  Captain.  These  officers 
were  recommended  for  promotion  to  these  brevet  ranks  just 
after  the  battle  of  Cedar  Creek,  October  ipth,  1864,  for 
gallant  and  meritorious  conduct  in  the  battles  of  the  Shenan- 
doah  campaign.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Teters  was  then  a 
Captain,  and  Captain  Biddenharn  a  Second  Lieutenant. 
The  promotions  came  tardily,  many  months  after  they  were 
earned,  but  they  were  none  the  less  deserving.  At  the 
time  Captain  Biddenharn  was  recommended  for  promotion, 
he  was  an  aide  on  the  staff  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wildes, 
then  commanding  the  ist  brigade,  ist  division,  Army  of 
West  Virginia. 

On  the  first  day  of  June,  orders  were  received  to  pre 
pare  rolls  for  muster  out.  The  order  excepted  companies 
F  and  K,  and  some  recruits  of  other  companies,  whose  term 
of  service  did  not  expire  prior  to  October  ist.  This  was 
regarded  by  all  as  particularly  unjust  and  unfortunate,  and 
was  the  occasion  for  a  great  deal  of  bad  feeling  throughout 
the  regiment.  The  fact  is  that  these  two  companies, 
although  not  mustered  in  at  the  same  time  with  the  others, 
were  in  every  action,  and  on  every  march  and  service  in 
which  the  rest  of  the  regiment  \vas  engaged,  and  the  re 
cruits  were  in  every  battle,  save  Moorefield  and  Winches 
ter,  in  1863.  These  men  were  transferred  to  the  626.  Ohio 
regiment,  and  afterwards,  when  the  626.  and  6yth  were  con- 


266  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

solidated,  they  formed  a  part  of  the  latter  organization, 
under  command  of  Colonel  and  Brevet  Major  General  A.  C. 
Voris,  of  Akron,  Ohio.  The  non-commissioned  officers, 
thus  transferred,  were  mustered  out  June  2Oth,  and  the  pri 
vates  August  8,  1865.  This  has  rendered  it  impossible  to 
get  the  rolls  of  these  two  companies  into  proper  shape.  I 
have  done  the  very  best  I  could  with  them,  but  I  am  not  at 
all  satisfied  with  their  condition.  I  am  greatly  indebted  to 
Sergeant  Silas  King,  of  company  F,  for  the  assistance  he 
has  given  me  in  preparing  the  rolls  of  that  company,  and  to 
Major  Hull  and  Captain  John  F.  Welch,  of  company  K,  for 
their  aid  in  preparing  those  of  company  K. 

Whilst  waiting  for  muster  out  at  Richmond,  Quarter 
master  Sergeant  W.  T.  Patterson  wrote  for  Whitelaw 
Reid's  "Ohio  in  the  War,"  the  sketch  of  the  regiment 
which  appears  in  that  work.  Mr.  Patterson  contemplated 
writing  the  history  of  the  regiment  upon  his  return  home, 
and  with  that  view  kept  a  very  full  and  accurate  daily 
memoranda  of  events  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  its 
service.  After  his  muster  out  he  graduated  from  the  Ohio 
University  at  Athens,  and  began  the  study  of  the  law, 
which  he  soon  abandoned,  and  entered  upon  a  theological 
course  at  Waynesburg,  Pa.,  and  afterwards  went  to  An- 
dover,  Mass.,  to  continue  his  theological  studies.  He  had 
just  finished  his  studies  when  he  was  stricken  down  with 
fever,  and  died  July  2d,  1869.  His  friends  have  very 
kindly  placed  in  my  hands  his  manuscript  and  memoranda. 
He  had  begun  to  write  the  history  of  the  regiment,  and  had 
covered  the  time  up  to  our  arrival  at  Winchester  in  March, 
1863.  He  and  his  companion  and  friend  in  the  Quarter 
master's  department,  Quartermaster  Sergeant  Ezra  L. 
Walker,  kept  very  full  diaries  of  passing  events.  Sergeant 
Walker  was  a  matter-of-fact  man  in  everything.  Sergeant 
Patterson  was  very  different.  While  he  noted  all  the  facts 
passing  before  his  eye,  he  found  pleasant  society  also  in 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  267 

noting  everything  of  the  country  through  which  he  passed. 
The  blue  edges  and  gleaming  caps  of  the  mountains  of  Vir 
ginia,  its  beautiful  Valleys,  clear  streams,  virgin  forests, 
winding  mountain  roads,  with  their  display  of  magnificent 
scenery,  furnished  him  never-ending  subjects  for  pleasant 
comment  and  enthusiastic  description.  His  memoranda  and 
writings  are  replete  with  pictures  of  the  country.  Even 
wrhen  returning  from  the  Lynchburg  raid  in  1864,  when  we 
were  all  more  than  half  starved,  and  all  the  enthusiasm  and 
inspiration  was  worn  out  of  everybody  else,  he  found  heart 
to  describe  the  enchanting  scenery  along  that  dreadful 
march.  In  one  place,  we  see  him  in  ecstacies  over  the 
beauties  of  Sinking  Creek,  Potts  and  Sweet  Spring  Moun 
tains.  At  another,  we  have  interesting  descriptions  of 
Sweet  Sulphur  Springs  and  vicinity,  then  of  Big  and  Little 
Sewel  Mountains,  Meadow  Bluffs  and  New  River,  and 
even  the  night  march  we  made  through  that  rocky  gorge 
before  reaching  White  Sulphur  Springs  had  romance  and 
grandeur  in  it  to  him.  Nothing  could  dampen  his  enthusi 
asm,  nothing  could  drench  his  ardor.  Patterson  with 
nature  was  like  a  youth  with  the  maiden  he  loves.  He 
lived  closer  to  nature  than  any  man  I  ever  knew.  Desert 
places,  dreary  regions,  desperate  mountain  passes  ribbed 
with  barren  ridges,  had  charms  to  him  and  gave  play  to 
the  imagery  of  his  poetic  mind,  when  they  were  casting 
nothing  but  gloomy  shadows  and  discouragement  over  the 
sore  and  weary  footsteps  of  all  others.  Every  object,  when 
he  looked  upon  it,  seemed  to  revolve  about  and  exhibit  its 
bright  side.  As  Theodore  Winthrop  says  of  John  Brent, 
so  it  might  be  said  of  Will  Patterson:  uShe  (nature)  was 
always  his  love,  whatever  she  could  do;  however  dressed, 
wrhether  in  clouds  or  sunshine,  unchanging  fair;  in  what 
ever  mood,  weeping  or  smiling,  at  her  sweetest;  grand, 
beautiful  for  her  grandeur;  tender,  beautiful  for  her  tender 
ness;  simple,  lovely  for  her  simplicity;  careless,  prettier 


268  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

than  if  she  were  trim  and  artful;  rough,  patient  and  impres 
sive,  a  barbaric  queen." 

On  the  evening  of  the  2d  of  April,  after  the  charge  of 
our  regiment  on  Fort  Gregg,  he  got  lost  in  the  darkness  in 
returning  to  the  train,  but  he  could  not  help  putting  down 
his  impressions  of  the  grandeur  of  that  night  search  for  the 
"look  out"  near  which  the  train  had  been  parked.  On  the 
1 2th  of  April,  as  the  regiment  was  approaching  Lynch- 
burg,  he  writes:  "The  red  clay  hills  and  oak  forests  about 
us  remind  one  of  dear  old  Ohio."  And  so  he  saw  and 
noted  everything,  and  everything  pleased  him.  His  powers 
of  description,  too,  were  boundless,  and  did  I  not  feel  con 
strained  to  eliminate  everything  from  this  little  book  not 
closely  connected  with  the  personal  history  of  the  regiment, 
I  would  take  great  pleasure  in  making  use  of  much  more 
than  I  have  of  his  beautiful  descriptions  of  the  country 
through  which  we  passed.  1  know  many  would  feel  a 
keen  interest  in  the  panorama,  which  his  pen  has  drawn,  of 
our  long  and  tiresome  marches.  It  would  afford  them,  as 
it  has  me,  great  pleasure  to  look  back  over  the  routes  they 
traveled,  and  as  they  saw  them  pictured  anew,  to  note  the 
beautiful  things  they  missed  seeing  as  they  passed  along, 
too  footsore  or  too  weary  to  observe  them.  But  he  loved 
the  u6th,  as  every  line  of  his  copious  memoranda  verifies. 
He  grew  prouder  and  prouder  of  its  career  as  he  wrote 
down  its  daily  record,  and  it  will  ever  remain  a  source  of 
deep  regret  to  us  all  that  his  young  life  was  not  spared  to 
finish  the  pleasant  task  of  writing  out  and  publishing  the 
record  he  had  so  religiously  kept,  and  in  which  he  felt  such 
deep  concern  and  pride. 

On  the  loth  of  June,  General  Gibbon  issued  the  following 
farewell  order  to  his  corps: 

HEADQUARTERS  24-TH  A.  C.  REVIEW  GROUND,  \ 
RICHMOND,  VA.,  June  10th,  1865.         j 
Soldiers  of  the  24th  Corps  : 

This,  probably,  is  the  last  occasion  upon  which  you,  as  a  corps,  will  be  assembled- 
Many  of  you  are  about  to  re-enter  civil  life,  to  resume  those  domestic  duties  which  by 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  269 

your  service  in  the  great  cause  of  your  country  have  been  so  long  neglected.  Before 
we  separate,  I  desire  to  thank  you,  in  the  name  of  a  grateful  country,  for  the  service  you 
have  rendered  her.  By  your  discipline,  long  marches,  and  hard  fighting,  you  have  es 
tablished  lor  yourselves  a  name  second  to  none  in  the  army.  Your  badge  has  become 
an  emblem  of  energy,  valor  and  patriotism,  and  is  a  source  of  just  pride  to  all  who  wear 
it.  Those  of  you  who  are  entering  civil  life  should  still  wear  it  on  all  occasions  as  an 
evidence  to  your  brothers  who  remain  in  the  service,  of  your  pride  in  a  badge  made 
sacred  by  the  blood  of  so  many  brave  men,  and  of  your  disposition,  should  your  country 
ever  again  call  you  to  arms,  to  again  assemble  under  that  proud  emblem  and  revive  the 
glory  of  the  '24th  corps.  To  our  comrades  who  are  leaving  the  service,  we  pledge  a  kind 
farewell,  and  a  wish  that  their  career  in  civil  life  may  be  as  successful  and  prosperous  as 
their  military  life  has  been  honorable  to  themselves  and  valuable  to  their  country. 
JOHN  GIBBON,  Major  General  Volunteers,  Commanding  Corps. 

The  regiment  was  mustered  out  just  before  noon,  June 
1 4th,  and  forming  it  in  a  hollow  square,  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Teters  delivered  the  following  farewell  address: 

HEADQUARTERS  HGTH  O.  V.  I.,         > 
RICHMOND,  VA.,  June  14,  18f>5.  j 
Officers  and  Soldiers  : 

In  bidding  you  farewell  to-day,  I  desire  to  tender  you  my  thanks  for  the  kindness, 
co-operation  and  support  I  have  received  from  you  since  assuming  command  of  the  ol'l 
regiment.  Since  putting  on  the  soldier's  garb  you  have  endured  untold  hardships 
without  a  murmur.  You  have  toiled  through  one  of  the  most  trying  raids  of  the  war. 
You  have  engaged  in  some  of  the  most  desperate  battles  of  the  war.  You  have  never 
disgraced  your  colors.  You  have  honored  your  State  and  have  won  the  esteem  and 
praise  of  every  commander  of  every  army  in  whicM  you  nave  served.  Now  that  you  are 
returning  to  your  homes  crowned  with  honors,  now  that  the  smoke  of  battle  has  been 
dispelled  by  the  rays  of  the  glorious  Sun  of  Peace,  and  you  are  about  to  enter  again 
upon  the  duties  of  civil  life  as  citizens  of  our  restored  Republic,  that  your  brave 
brothers  in  arms,  and  the  people  to  whom  you  return,  may  alvvnys  be  proud  of  you  and 
will  feel  it  a  solemn  duty  to  honor  you  and  your  posterity,  be  as  peaceful  and  honorable 
in  civil  life  as  vou  have  been  brave  and  glorious  in  battle.  Let  u^  not  forget  to  cherish 
the  memory  of  our  brave  comrades  who  have  fallen  from  our  sides  in  battle,  died  in 
hospitals,  or  who  have  been  tortured  to  death  in  rebel  prisons.  Here  at  the  rebej 
capital  let  us  pledge  our  fealty  to  the  widows  and  orphans  of  our  dead  comrades,  and  be 
ready  to  stretch  out  to  them,  wherever  we  meet  them,  the  hand  of  a  comrade  and  of 
charity. 

And  now  a  word  to  those  who  remain  behind  for  a  short  time.  Comrades,  let  me 
beseech  you  to  be  good,  obedient,  soldiers,  as  you  have  always  been  in  the  past.  I  am 
sorry  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart  that  it  is  not  your  fortune  to  go  home  with  us.  You 
have  my  heartfelt  sympathy,  and  if  my  influence  can  effect  your  discharge,  you  may 
rest  assured  you  shall  not  remain  behind.  God  bless  you,  comrades  !  You  will  always 
in  the  future,  as  in  the  past,  find  me  your  firm  friend. 

W.  B.  TETERS,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Commanding  Regiment. 

Here  is  the  language  and  sentiment  of  the  true  soldier, 
and  farewell  was  never  bidden  to  brave  men  by  a  braver 
man. 

But  little  remains  to  be  done  to  close  the  record  of 
the  n6th.  The  next  morning  at  daylight,  the  regiment 


27O  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  t. 

marched  down  to  the  wharf  and  took  the  "M.  Martin," 
General  Grant's  old  boat,  and  steamed  down  the  James.  It 
was  interesting  now  to  pass  Forts  Darling  and  Brady,  the 
Hewlett  House  batteries,  Dutch  Gap  Canal,  Butler's  Look 
out,  Deep  Bottom,  Camp  Holly  and  the  great  fortifications 
of  both  sides.  No  thundering  of  artillery  or  mortars  now, 
no  pickets  or  picket  firing,  and  no  troops  holding  forts  or 
fortifications.  We  could  see  Camp  Holly  from  our  vessel, 
and  the  forts  and  lines  of  earthworks.  wre  had  watched  with 
such  vigilance  so  long.  There  were  our  log  huts  yet,  but 
no  smoke  arose  from  their  chimneys,  and  none  of  the  signs 
of  busy  camp  life  were  anywhere  visible  in  the  company 
streets  or  on  the  well  trodden  parade  ground.  It  was  a 
"deserted  village,"  indeed.  It  was  hard  to  think  that  only 
a  few  weeks  before,  these  opposing  lines  of  works  wre  were 
passing  were  held  by  hostile  armies,  striving  their  very  best 
to  destroy  each  other.  As  we  passed  the  spot,  where  we 
crossed  the  James  in  the  early  evening  of  the  27th  of  March, 
to  commence  the  wonderful  campaign  which  ended  so  glo 
riously  thirteen  days  afterwards  at  Appomattox,  man}'  an 
one  thought  of  the  brave  fellows  who  crossed  with  us,  but 
were  not  now  on  this  happy  journey  home. 

The  regiment  reached  Columbus  on  the  evening  of  the 
I  pth,  where  we  took  supper  at  Tod  Barracks,  and  at  10 
p.  M.  again  took  the  cars  and  started  for  Camp  Dennison, 
which  we  reached  next  morning  at  daylight,  and  where  \ve 
were  paid  off  on  the  2 3d,  and  the  next  day  we  started  for 
our  homes.  As  soon  as  we  reached  the  Athens  County 
line,  squads  began  to  leave  us  at  every  stopping  place. 
Crowds  were  everywhere  waiting  to  greet  friends,  and  such 
welcomes  as  they  met  with  on  every  hand  was  enough  to 
turn  the  heads  of  these  brave  fellows.  But  still  another 
greeting  awaited  them  in  their  homes,  a  greeting  that  no 
other  should  witness.  To  that  sacred  and  precious  greet 
ing  they  were  remitted,  and  our  work  is  done. 


HUNDRED  AND  SIXTEENTH  o.  v.  i. 

The  Spartan  mother  who  sent  her  son  to  battle,  bade 
him  to, return  with  his  shield  in  honor,  or  on  his  shield  in 
death.  Here  came  a  mere  remnant  of  a  regiment,  bearing 
their  shields  in  honor,  but  how  many  of  their  brave  com 
rades  had  returned  before  them  on  their  shields  in  death! 

On  the  2Oth  of  June,  quite  a  number  of  promotions  were 
made  in  the  regiment,  which  were,  of  course,  not  to  fill 
vacancies  for  further  service,  but  to  do  honor  to  a  number 
of  worthy  men,  who  had  long  since  earned  promotion  but 
could  not  be  mustered,  because  of  the  reduced  condition  of 
the  regiment.  The  promotions  were  as  follows: 

First  Lieutenant  Samuel  D.  Knight,  to  Captain. 
First  Lieutenant  Ransom  Griffin,  to  Captain. 
Second  Lieutenant  Jacob  Wyckoff,  to  First  Lieutenant. 
Second  Lieutenant  John  S.  Heald,  to  First  Lieutenant. 
Second  Lieutenant  Charles  A.  Cline,  to  First  Lieutenant. 
Sergeant  Mann  Smith,  to  Second  Lieutenant 
Sergeant  Peter  D.  Wolf,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 
Sergeant  John  L.  Beach,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 
Sergeant  Adam  J.  Myers,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 
Sergeant  Samuel  Atkinson,  to  Second  Lieutennnt. 
Sergeant  F>ancis  A.  Hartley,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 
Sergeant  Benjamin  F.  Sammons,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 
Sergeant  John  C.  Chick,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 
Sergeant  Leander  Shane,  to  Second  Lieutennnt. 
Sergeant  Benjamin  Sheffield,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 
Sergeant  Andrew  W.  Henthorn,  to  Second  Lieutenant. 

Thus  closes  the  history  of  the  n6th  Regiment  of  Ohio 
Volunteers.  We  have  only  to  add  the  rosters  of  the  field 
and  staff  and  the  various  companies,  following  which  is  the 
list  of  those  who  died  in  Southern  prisons,  or  on  Southern 
battle  fields. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

PRISON    LIFE THE    CRUELTY    OF    REBELS    TO    PRISONERS  — 

BARBARITIES    OF     PRISON     KEEPERS THE     EXPERIENCES 

OF    SEVERAL    OF    OUR   OFFICERS    AND    MEN THE    DEATH 

ROLL. 

ELMER  ARMSTRONG. 

Sutler  of  the  Regiment. 

It  was  on  the  morning  of  June  i5th,  1863,  after  holding 
Lee's  whole  army  at  bay  for  three  whole  days,  that  Milroy 
had  at  last  given  the  order  to  retreat,  and  his  little  com 
mand,  that  had  done  such  gallant  service,  started  along  the 
Winchester  and  Martinsburg  turnpike  for  Martinsburg. 
Our  guns  had  been  spiked  and  with  our  wagons  and  am 
bulances  left  behind.  Thus  unencumbered,  we  had  gone 
about  five  miles,  when  we  came  across  the  enemy  in  strong 
force,  just  where  the  road  to  Harper's  Ferry  branched  off 
from  the  turnpike.  While  our  first  line  was  engaging  the 
enemy,  the  second  line,  consisting  of  the  larger  part  of  the 
command,  filed  to  the  right  and  escaped  to  Harper's  Ferry. 
The  order  had  been  given  the  night  before,  that  if  we  were 
attacked  on  the  retreat,  those  having  horses  in  charge  were 
to  make  their  escape  as  best  they  could.  I  had  my  horses 
with  me,  and  attempted  to  escape  to  the  left  with  the 
troops  that  afterward  struck  the  railroad  at  Sir  John's  Run, 
but  was  captured  before  leaving  the  pike.  In  obedience  to 
orders,  I  had  left  my  wagon  at  Winchester  with  about 
$6,000  worth  of  goods.  ,  The  regiment  had  been  paid  off  a 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  273 

few  days  before,  and  I  had  considerable  money  about  me, 
some  two  thousand  dollars.  I  also  had  two  hundred  dol 
lars  of  Adjutant  Ballard's  money,  which  he  had  given  me 
before  he  went  into  battle,  saying,  "I  may  never  come  out 
of  this;  if  I  don't,  send  this  to  my  wife  if  you  get  out." 
Well,  that  money  I  put  in  a  place  that  I  had  ripped  in  my 
shoe  and  then  stitched  up  again,  and  I  carried  it  safely 
through  all  my  prison  experience. 

The  first  thing  I  thought  of  when  I  found  that  we  were 
cornered,  was  to  hide  the  rest  of  the  money.  I  stuck  it 
around  in  different  places.  I  remember  I  put  $75°  between 
the  lining  and  seat  of  my  pants,  where  it  escaped  the  three 
searchings  I  got  at  Libby.  I  was  placed  under  guard  until 
morning,  when  I  was  sent  to  General  Gordon's  headquar 
ters,  where  I  was  given  breakfast  in  his  tent.  I  was  then 
sent  back  to  our  old  fort  at  Winchester.  About  a  thousand 
of  our  fellows  were  there.  I  was  in  Winchester  about  two 
weeks  before  being  sent  south.  Dr.  Brown,  our  assistant 
surgeon,  and  I  got  leave  to  go  on  our  parole  to  Staunton,  so 
I  hired  a  man  to  take  us  over  in  a  stage,  and  paid  him  $50 
in  rebel  money.  We  were  not  guarded,  and  when  we  ar 
rived  at  Staunton  we  hunted  lodgings  where  we  could  and 
registered  our  names  as  if  we  were  not  prisoners.  Next 
day,  right  after  breakfast,  we  reported  and  were  sent  down 
to  Richmond.  Dr.  Sweet's  wife,  Colonel  Washburn's  wife 
and  Chaplain  Brady  were  on  the  same  train,  but  in  another 
car.  On  our  way  down,  we  heard  of  the  capture,  just 
ahead  of  us,  of  Fitzhugh  Lee  and  a  son  of  General  Winder. 
This  made  them  cautious,  and  we  were  run  back  on  a  sid 
ing  until  dark  and  then  run  into  Richmond.  We  were 
treated  well  on  our  journey,  except  that  nothing  was  given 
us  to  eat. 

On  our  arrival  at  Richmond,  Dr.  Brown  and  I  were  put 
into  the  union  cell  down  in  the  basement  of  Castle  Thun- 

18 


274  ONE    HUNDRED   AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

der.  The  first  person  I  saw  there  was  a  man  named 
Parker,  who  had  been  an  engineer  on  the  Baltimore  & 
Ohio  Railroad,  and  whom  I  had  known  when  I  was  ship 
ping  stock  to  Baltimore.  There  was  with  him  a  brakeman 
from  the  same  road.  Both  these  men  remembered  me  and 
were  very  kind  to  me.  Till  now  I  had  kept  my  spirits  up, 
but  meeting  these  acquaintances  in  such  a  place,  and  the 
kindness  they  showed  me,  completely  broke  me  up.  I  tell 
you  1  felt  pretty  sick.  Brown  and  I  laid  down,  but  Parker 
came  to  us  and  said  if  we  stayed  there  the  lice  would  drop 
down  on  us  from  the  rebels  above.  He  also  offered  to  get 
us  something  to  eat,  but  I  had  no  appetite  in  that  place, 
though  I  had  not  tasted  food  since  morning.  The  only 
person  in  the  cell  beside  these  I  have  mentioned  was  a 
crazy  southerner,  whom  the  rebels  had  picked  up  and  taken 
for  a  Yankee  spy  playing  off.  The  fellow  was,  however, 
as  much  a  rebel  at  heart  as  his  captors.  He  had  evidently 
been  a  preacher,  for  he  wandered  on,  telling  us  if  Jeff  Davis 
and  General  Winder  would  humble  themselves  before  God 
they  would  get  their  independence.  The  fellow  stammered 
when  he  spoke.  Said  he  to  Parker:  "These  f-f-friends  of 
of  yours  s-s-seem  to  be  n-n-nice  men,  I  should  1-1-like  to 
p-p-pray  with  them."  So  he  went  on,  while  Parker  paced 
up  and  down  the  cell.  The  surroundings  were  so  terrible, 
and  the  earnestness  of  the  poor  man  so  impressed  me,  that 
I  felt  very  much  humbled,  and  especially  when  he  began  to 
pray  very  devoutly.  But  when  he  began  to  pray  for  the 
success  of  the  Southern  Confederacy,  it  fired  Parker,  who, 
though  used  to  his  insane  chatter,  would  not  listen  to  any 
thing  like  that,  even  from  a  crazy  man,  but  began  to  pelt 
the  old  fellow  on  the  head  with  some  bullets  he  had  in  his 
pocket,  saying,  "I  will  teach  you  better  than  to  pray  for 
the  Southern  Confederacy  in  the  presence  of  Union  pris 
oners,  you  d  —  d  old  reprobate."  That  prayer  was  cut  off 
pretty  short,  I  can  tell  you. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  1.  275 

After  a  couple  of  days,  they  moved  us  up  into  the  third 
story,  part  of  which  was  a  temporary  hospital.  Brown 
was  taken  away  from  me  here,  and  I  supposed  that  he  had 
gone  home.  In  the  third  story  we  could  buy  a  few  things 
to  eat  of  the  hospital  steward.  I  thus  became  acquainted 
with  Bullock,  the  hospital  steward.  He  told  me  that  Cap 
tain  Alexander,  who  was  in  command  of  Castle  Thunder, 
was  from  Baltimore  and  was  a  Union  man  at  heart.  I 
knew  Baltimore  pretty  well,  and  determined  to  make  the 
most  of  this  to  get  into  his  good  graces,  so  whenever  the 
Captain  was  about  I  talked  loud  about  Baltimore.  I  had 
kept  this  up  about  two  months,  and  was  beginning  to  think 
that  it  was  no  go,  when,  one  day,  he  came  up  to  me  and 
said :  "  Mr.  Armstrong,  didn't  1  hear  you  say  you  were 
raised  in  Baltimore?"  "No,  sir,"  I  said,  "I  am  a  native  of 
Ohio,  but  1  own  property  in  Baltimore.  Were  you  ever 
there?"  "Oh,  yes,"  he  answered,  "I  was  born  and  raised 
there.  I  came  down  here  before  the  war  and  married  here, 
and  so,  you  see,  am  a  Southerner."  A  few  days  after  this, 
he  came  in  and  gave  me  a  peach;  he  also  gave  me  the 
privilege  of  walking  through  some  of  the  halls  because  I 
was  sick.  I  knew  1  had  made  a  point.  One  day,  as  I  was 
taking  my  walk  through  the  halls,  I  came  to  the  Captain's 
room.  A  guard  stood  at  the  door  and  halted  me.  I  told 
him  who  I  \vas,  and  asked  to  see  the  Captain.  He  went  in 
and  told  what  I  wanted.  Captain  Alexander  came  out, 
took  me  into  his  room,  and  introduced  me  to  his  wife,  and 
then  asked  me  what  I  wanted.  I  told  him  that  I  had  come 
to  beg  a  favor.  "I  want  you  to  send  a  guard  out  with  me 
and  let  me  get  some  fresh  air  and  buy  something  to  eat." 
He  said  he  wouldn't  send  an  armed  guard,  but  took  me 
down  stairs  to  the  outer  door,  and  ordered  the  guard  there 
to  let  me  go  out  every  day  and  buy  what  I  wanted,  and 
said  I  was  not  to  be  molested.  He  sent  a  young  boy  with 


276  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

me  to  show  me  the  way.  Almost  the  first  man  I  met  when 
I  got  out  was  old  Kephardt,  a  rebel  detective.  "Where 
are  you  from,  and  what  are  you  doing?"  he  asked.  I  told 
him  as  politely  as  I  could,  that  Captain  Alexander  had 
kindly  permitted  me  to  go  out  and  get  some  refreshments. 
This  seemed  to  anger  the  old  fellow,  and  he  said:  "They 
had  no  right  to  do  it,  G  —  d  d  —  n  you;  they  ought  to 
make  breastworks  of  all  such  Yankees  as  you  are."  By 
making  good  use  of  my  guide,  and  spending  a  good  deal 
of  rebel  money,  I  managed  to  get  everything  I  wanted. 
Whenever  I  wanted  any  money  for  these  trips,  I  would  take 
a  five  dollar  bill  and  buy  rebel  currency.  I  could  get  forty 
of  their  dollars  for  five  of  ours.  But  I  was  always  careful 
never  to  appear  to  have  more  than  five  dollars  at  a  time. 

After  the  news  came  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  and 
the  fall  of  Vicksburg,  a  hundred  of  the  prisoners  were 
taken  from  the  third  story,  where  I  was,  and  held  as  hos 
tages.  They  were  kept  by  themselves  in  a  room  above 
ours,  and  we  could  hear  them  every  night  praying  for  the 
safety  of  the  Government,  and  for  a  blessing  on  their  fami 
lies.  Parker  was  one  of  the  hundred,  and  he  sent  down  to 
see  if  Bullock,  the  steward,  couldn't  get  something  for  them 
to  eat.  Bullock  said  that  he  did  not  dare  to,  but  that  Arm 
strong  could,  as  he  was  free  to  go  in  and  out,  and  that  he 
would  be  careful  not  to  be  looking  when  these  things  were 
going  on.  We  punched  a  pine  knot  out  of  the  floor  above, 
and  at  night  they  let  down  a  large  bandana  handkerchief 
through  the  hole,  into  which  I  would  put  such  things  as  I 
had  for  them,  and  then  they  would  let  down  a  string  from 
the  window  above  and  draw  up  the  bundle.  Bullock  would 
draw  rations  and  give  them  to  me,  which  were  sent  to  the 
men  above  in  the  same  way.  They  would  then  draw  up 
the  string  and  put  the  knot  back  in  its  place.  Bullock  was 
very  kind  to  me  all  the  time.  I  remember  that  when  a 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  277 

brother  of  his  was  sick,  his  wife  would  send  him  wine  and 
other  delicacies  for  him,  and  a  good  share  of  these  fell  to 
my  lot. 

I  was  afraid  that  I  could  not  be  exchanged  regularly,  as 
I  was  not  a  soldier,  and  when  I  saw  some  of  our  boys  go, 
and  I  was  left,  I  tell  you  my  heart  sank.  The  way  I  was 
finally  exchanged  was  this:  I  had  written  home  of  my 
sorry  plight  and  ill-health,  and  had  said  that  I  never  ex 
pected  to  live  through  it.  My  wife  wrote  me  how  she  and 
the  children  felt,  and  on  the  back  of  one  letter  she  wrote  to 
the  officers,  asking  if  she  might  come  and  care  for  me,  or, 
if  I  was  already  dead,  take  back  my  remains.  When  the 
officers  got  this  letter,  I  was  sent  for,  and  went  down  to 
Major  Carrington's  room.  He  was  an  officer  of  Castle 
Thunder.  He  handed  me  the  letter,  and  said  to  me :  "  You 
have  not  disobeyed  us  in  any  particular,  you  are  away  from 
your  family,  and  Captain  Alexander  and  I  have  determined 
to  send  you  home."  When  Bullock  found  that  1  was  going 
to  be  sent  away,  he  came  to  me  and  asked  whether,  if  he 
could  get  into  our  lines,  our  officers  would  give  him  back  to 
the  rebels  if  he  came  as  a  deserter.  I  told  him  if  he  could 
get  to  our  lines  and  show  himself  with  a  wrhite  flag,  he 
would  be  well  treated.  He  seemed  much  pleased  to  know 
this.  Before  I  was  sent  away,  I  went  around  to  bid  Major 
Carrington  and  Captain  Alexander  good-bye.  They  had 
done  everything  they  could  for  me.  I  thanked  them  from 
the  bottom  of  my  heart,  and  told  them  that,  although  I 
trusted  they  would  never  be  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  cap 
tured,  yet  if  they  were,  I  could  wish  them  nothing  better 
than  that  they  should  fall  in  with  friends  as  kind  and  help 
ing  as  they  had  been  to  me.  Captain  Alexander  said, 
"don't  speak  of  kindness,  I  would  have  done  a  great  deal 
more  if  I  had  dared."  1  then  told  them  that  I  belonged  to 
the  military  committee,  and  gave  them  my  address,  and 
told  them  to  write  to  me  if  they  were  ever  taken  prisoners. 


278  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

Mrs.  Alexander  said:  "If  you  and  he  both  live,  you  will 
see  him  in  your  lines  a  prisoner,  and  have  a  chance  to  do 
something  for  him,  for  I  am  sure  he  will  be  captured/' 

On  the  1 2th  of  September  I  was  transferred  to  "Libby," 
and  there  I  saw  some  of  the  men  of  our  own  regiment.  Dr. 
Brown,  Dr.  Smith,  Lieutenant  Sibley,  Lieutenant  Knowles, 
the  Chaplain  of  the  Syth  Pennsylvania,  and  others  of  differ 
ent  regiments  of  our  command.  Castle  Thunder  was  truly 
a  palace  compared  to  this  place,  and  the  treatment  we  re 
ceived  in  the  two  places  was  altogether  different.  Here  I 
was  searched  three  times  for  money.  Once  they  found 
twelve  dollars  and  eighty-seven  cents,  which  was  taken  from 
me.  They  also  took  mv  account  books,  but  gave  them  all 
back  but  one.  They  promised  to  give  back  the  money,  but 
as  I  did  not  believe  them,  I  was  not  disappointed.  I  found 
some  acquaintances  among  the  prisoners  on  the  lower  floor, 
but  most  of  the  men  that  I  knewr  were  up  stairs.  The  first 
man  I  sa\v  from  our  regiment  \vas  Dr.  Smith.  He  cut  a 

o 

little  hole  through  the  floor,  and  sent  a  note  do\vn  to  ask  if 
there  wasn't  a  man  there  named  Armstrong,  and  if  there 
was,  to  tell  him  Dr.  Smith  wanted  to  see  him.  I  went  and 
showed  myself,  and  he  slipped  down  another  note  asking  if 
I  had  any  money,  or  whether  they  had  taken  it.  I  told  him 
I  had  plenty,  and  sent  him,  I  think,  twenty-five  dollars. 
Then  I  went  up  to  the  head  of  the  stairs,  to  another  room, 
and  looked  through  the  key-hole,  and  saw  Lieutenant 
Sibley.  He  was  nearly  starved  to  death.  I  told  him  1  had 
plenty  of  money.  He  said  if  I  would  let  him  have  some  he 
would  give  me  his  note  for  it.  I  put  one  hundred  dollars 
through  the  key-hole  to  him.  I  also  let  Lieutenant  R.  O. 
Knowles  have  one  hundered  dollars,  and  they  sent  back 
their  notes.  I  was  afraid  the  notes  would  be  found  on  me, 
and  their  names  would  let  the  rebels  know  that  they  had 
the  money,  so  I  told  them  I  would  tear  their  names  off  the 
notes,  and  if  they  ever  got  out,  and  could  pay  me,  all  well 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  279 

and  good,  and  if  not,  all  right.  So  I  tore  off  the  names.  1 
also  sent  Eberhardt,  Chaplain  of  the  8yth  Pennsylvania,  and 
Dr.  Brown  fifty  dollars.  We  were  all  in  one  box,  and  didn't 
care  much  for  money.  Now,  I  want  to  say  right  here  that 
every  dollar  1  lent  these  men  in  "Libby"  was  paid  back  to 
me.  After  being  there  twelve  days,  I  was  ordered  to  be 
exchanged.  We  had  been  nearly  starved,  for  we  had  but 
little  to  eat.  Sibley  and  Knowles,  in  'the  other  room,  had 
bribed  the  guard  and  got  a  little  food  in  that  way.  The 
treatment  we  received  here  \vas  brutal.  Turner,  who  was 
said  to  be  a  nephew  of  General  Winder,  made  us  stand  up 
to  be  counted  every  day,  and,  when  I  would  lean  against  a 
post,  because  I  was  so  sick  and  weak,  he  would  s\vear  at 
me  and  tell  me  to  stand  up  straight.  I  didn't  expect  to  live 
to  get  a\vay  from  there.  1  found  out  afterwards  that  Cap 
tain  Alexander  had  protested  \vhen  they  sent  me  to  Libby, 
and  said  I  was  too  old  and  sick,  and  that  he  would  keep  me 
in  the  Castle  till  I  could  be  exchanged,  and  then  put  me  on 
the  boat,  but  Winder  would  hear  nothing  of  it,  and  had  me 
sent  to  Libby  \vith  the  rest.  The  time  for  my  release  came 
at  last.  With  others  I  was  sent  to  City  Point,  where  we 
were  put  on  a  boat  and  taken  to  Fortress  Monroe  and  ex 
changed,  after  which  I  was  not  long  in  getting  home. 

One  more  little  incident  will  end  my  story.  Bullock,  the 
steward  who  had  been  so  kind  to  me,  was  taken  prisoner. 
I  wrote  to  some  one  at  Washington  about  how  kindly  he 
had  treated  me  and  others,  but  before  my  letter  arrived,  he 
was  put  on  the  exchange  list  and  sent  south.  He  got  a 
thirty  days'  furlough,  and  after  visiting  his  family,  made  his 
way  into  our  lines  and  showed  himself  with  a  white  flag. 
He  got  the  soldiers  to  give  him  a  certificate  that  he  had 
surrendered  voluntarily,  so  that  he  would  not  again  be  sent 
back.  He  \vrote  to  me  and  I  went  to  Judge  Morris  for  ad 
vice.  He  wrote  out  a  statement  of  the  facts  I  gave  him, 
and  sent  it  to  Postmaster  General  Dennison,  who  secured 


28O  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

his  release,  gave  him  a  pass  and  sent  him  to  Ohio.  He 
hunted  me  up,  and  remained  with  me  till  the  close  of  the 
war,  when  he  returned  to  his  family. 

CAPTAIN  R.  O.  KNOWLES, 

WHO  was  captured  at  Winchester,  June  I5th,  1863,  was  con 
fined  in  various  Rebel  prisons  before  he  finally  found  him 
self  at  Columbia,  South  Carolina.  After  a  confinement  of 
twenty  days  there,  he  and  others  began  to  lay  plans  for 
escape.  How  they  did  it  and  how  they  fared  afterwards 
is  told  by  the  Captain  in  a  letter  from  him  to  Captain  A.  B. 
Frame,  under  date  of  Deland,  Florida,  September  roth,  1882. 
We  let  the  Captain  tell  the  story  himself: 

"I  escaped  from  Columbia  Rebel  Prison  October  26th, 
1864.  After  being  there  about  twenty  days  we  began  to 
watch  for  a  chance  to  escape.  We  finally  approached  a 
guard  whom  we  found  willing  to  aid  us  in  case  some  green 
backs  were  forthcoming.  We  soon  arranged  with  him  to 
let  three  or  four  of  us  pass  his  post  the  next  time  he  came 
on  duty,  which  was  the  26th  of  October.  We  had  prepared 
for  it  by  cooking  every  thing  we  could  find  and  making 
maps  of  the  route  we  would  take. 

The  night  arriving,  we  went  to  the  spot  our  man  was 
to  occupy,  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening.  There  were 
three  other  Ohio  officers  besides  myself,  and  two  Wisconsin 
officers  in  our  crowd,  all  of  whom  had  bribed  the  same 
guard.  We  found  our  man  after  some  difficulty.  I  walked 
up  to  the  guard,  and  he  let  me  pass.  One  of  the  other 
officers  had  the  greenbacks.  I  called  to  the  other  officers 
to  come  on,  when  a  guard  close  by  fired  his  gun.  I  jumped 
pretty  high  at  this  and  ran  as  fast  as  I  could;  the  other 
officers  started  with  me.  The  guards  fired  six  or  seven 
shots  at  us,  and  of  course  alarmed  everybody.  We  ran  as 
hard  as  we  could,  falling  several  times  over  stumps  and  into 
holes.  Two  officers  were  ahead  of  me,  they  thinking  I  was 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  28 1 

a  Johnny,  ran  for  dear  life.  After  eighteen  months  of  cap 
tivity,  you  may  well  imagine  that  we  ran  well.  We  soon 
got  into  a  swamp,  with  mud  and  water  up  to  our  knees. 
Getting  out  of  this  after  awhile,  wre  took  our  planned  route, 
as  near  as  we  could  guess.  After  about  an  hour,  we  came 
near  a  house,  where  we  were  seen  by  some  persons  who 
started  after  us  with  some  dogs.  We  took  the  back  track 
for  about  two  hundred  yards,  when  we  climbed  a  fence  and 
took  across  a  field,  the  dogs  keeping  on  our  old  tracks  and 
passing  where  we  crossed  the  fence.  We  heard  their  bark 
ing  all  night.  Striking  a  piece  of  woods,  we  lay  by  all  the 
rest  of  the  night  and  next  day.  When  night  came  again, 
we  started  on  our  journey,  keeping  our  eye  on  the  North 
Star.  Some  time  in  the  night  we  struck  a  road,  and  con 
cluded  to  follow  it,  although  it  was  not  our  direct  course.* 
When  morning  came,  we  took  to  the  woods,  and  lay  by  all 
day,  taking  turns  in  keeping  watch.  This  we  did  every 
day  and  night.  I  think  it  was  our  third  night  and  about 
three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  that  I  gave  out,  and  lay  down 
by  the  roadside,  saying  I  could  go  no  further.  I  was  sick 
and  weak,  and  had  been  so  for  some  days  past.  We  were 
out  of  provisions,  hungry  and  exhausted,  and  something 
had  to  be  done,  so  we  dragged  ourselves  into  the  edge  of  a 
woods,  and  watched  for  a  colored  man  to  pass.  During  the 
day  we  hailed  one,  who,  after  seeing  our  condition  and 
learning  wrho  we  were,  left  us  to  return  at  dark  in  company 
with  his  wife,  with  a  good  supply  of  victuals.  They  put 
us  on  the  right  road  and  gave  us  directions  for  several  days 
travel,  telling  us,  at  the  same  time,  that  whenever  we  got 
out  of  provisions,  to  let  the  'cullud  people  know  it.'  After 
this  if  we  missed  our  way  or  got  out  of  provisions^  we 
applied  to  the  Negroes,  who  never  failed  to  help  us  or  to  be 
true  to  us.  We  had  many  narrow  escapes  from  capture, 
often  meeting  parties  on  the  roads,  but  fortunately  were 
never  molested.  After  travelling  together  nearly  across 


282  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

North  Carolina,  our  party  separated,  I  going  in  a  squad  by 
myself.  The  next  night  I  went  to  a  house,  and  telling  the 
man  who  I  was,  he  gave  me  half  a  loaf  of  corn  bread  and 
started  me  on  the  right  way  over  the  mountains.  That 
night  I  waded  a  wide,  cold  river.  I  was  two  nights  cross 
ing  the  mountains  into  Tennessee.  I  called  at  a  house 
about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  second  day,  and 
asked  an  old  lady  the  way.  She  told  me,  but  had  to  tell 
me  too,  what  a  pity  it  was  to  send  so  many  souls  to  Hell  in 
this  war.  She  was  firmly  of  the  conviction  that  there  was 
where  all  engaged  in  it  were  going.  After  getting  into 
East  Tennessee,  I  travelled  in  the  day  time,  and  after 
twenty-one  days,  or  rather  nights,  I  reached  Knoxville,  and 
was  within  the  Union  lines  once  more,  thank  God!  I  tell 
you  I  was  never  happier  in  my  life!  I  went  to  a  pay 
master  there,  who  paid  me  two  months'  pay,  and  in  a  few 
days  I  was  at  home,  sweet  home  in  Coolville." 

CAPTAIN  ALEXANDER  COCHRAN. 

WHO  was  so  badly  wounded  at  Bunker  Hill,  June  i3th,  1863, 
and  there  made  a  prisoner,  often  spoke  of  the  great  kind 
ness  of  J.  B.  T.  Reed,  of  Winchester,  a  brother  Mason. 
This  man  deserved  the  gratitude  of  every  Union  soldier  for 
his  kindness  to  them  when  in  hospital  and  prisoners.  When 
Captain  Cochran  was  well  enough  to  move,  Mr.  Reed 
secured  his  escape. 

JOSEPH  PURKEY, 

First  Sergeant,  Company  H., 

WAS  captured  at  Winchester,  June  iz|.th,  1863,  and  escaped 
to  the  Union  lines  at  New  Creek,  Virginia,  June  3Oth,  1863. 
He  was  afterwards  severely  wounded  at  Piedmont,  Virginia, 
and  promoted  to  Second  and  First  Lieutenant. 

CORPORAL  HARRISON  COCHRANE, 

Corporal  of  Company  E., 

WAS  severely  wounded  in  the  right  foot  at  Piedmont,  Vir 
ginia,  June  5th,  1864,  and  taken  prisoner  at  Staunton  upon 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  283 

our  army  advancing  from  that  place.  He  was  taken  to 
Andersonville,  Georgia.  He  escaped  from  there  January 
27th,  1865,  and  reached  Cedar  Keys,  Florida,  April  27th, 
1865,  bemg  just  three  months  a  wanderer  within  the  rebel 
lines.  During  all  this  time  he  never  saw  the  face  of  a  white 
man,  but  was  taken  care  of  and  guided  by  colored  people. 
An  account  of  his  experience  would  be  exceedingly  inter 
esting,  but  we  have  been  unable  to  obtain  it. 

LIEUTENANT  JOHN  S.  HEALD, 

WHO  was  wounded,  as  all  thought  fatally,  through  the  body, 
at  Piedmont,  and  captured  at  Staunton  the  same  time  with 
Corporal  Cochrane,  has  kindly  given  me  some  of  his  expe 
rience,  from  which  I  make  liberal  quotations.  Lieutenant 
Heald  says:  "The  next  day  after  our  troops  left  Staunton 
for  Lynchburg,  we  who  were  left  there  in  hospital  were 
prisoners  under  the  rebel,  Colonel  Lee.  He  promised  us 
that  as  soon  as  we  could  be  moved,  we  would  be  sent 
through  the  lines  to  our  own  friends.  I  occupied  a  cot 
from  which  I  could  see  the  operating  table  and  the  spice  of 
life  with  me  for  several  days  was  to  watch  the  process  of 
amputating  legs  and  arms,  which  would,  in  itself,  be  quite 
a  history,  had  I  the  heart  to  write  it.  On  the  28th  of  June, 
orders  were  given  for  all  who  were  able  to  get  into  line  to 
go  to  our  own  hospitals,  to  do  so.  I  was  on  hand,  but  was 
told  that  the  trip  would  be  likely  to  kill  me,  and  that  I 
couldn't  go;  but  mv  anxiety  to  get  within  our  lines  was  so 
great,  that  I  begged  to  go  and  they  let  me.  We  were 
marched  four  miles  out  of  town  to  where  the  railroad  had 
not  been  torn  up.  Here  sixty-four  wounded  men  were  put 
into  each  box-car,  and  the  train  moved  on.  After  a  day  of 
weary  plodding  along  and  suffering,  we  were  landed  at 
Lynchburg.  We  were  unloaded  and  marched  part  way 
through  town  and  halted  in  front  of  what  was  called  the 
Commandant's  headquarters,  where  we  were  ordered  to 


284  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

throw  away  the  sticks  writh  which  many  had  helped  them 
selves  to  hobble  along.  Then  they  tried  to  form  us  in 
ranks.  I,  with  others,  could  not  stand  without  help.  Expla 
nations  were  of  no  avail,  and  the  brutes  in  charge  took  clubs 
and  went  along  the  line,  beating,  kicking  and  calling  us 

<d d    lousy   Yanks,'   and    pushing    us    here  and    there. 

All  this  time  these  ruffians  were  cheered  by  the  citizens. 
We  were  finally  put  into  a  small,  dirty  slave  pen  in  the  rear 
of  headquarters,  for  the  night,  and  each  given  a  small  piece 
of  bread  and  fat  pork.  As  mean  as  the  diet  was,  we  ate  it 
with  a  relish,  for  we  were  very  hungry.  That  was  a  hard 
night  for  most  of  us.  Next  morning  we  were  taken  a  short 
distance  out  of  town  and  placed  in  a  deep  ravine,  where  we 
were  kept  for  two  days  with  a  strong  guard  around  us.  It 
was  very  warm  weather,  but  we  had  access  to  a  small 
stream  of  water,  which  was  a  great  relief  to  us  in  washing 
and  dressing  our  wounds.  I  can  never  forget  Edward 
Yockey  and  James  Preshaw,  of  my  company,  who,  though 
suffering  from  wounds  themselves,  were  so  kind  to  me.  On 
July  ist,  all  who  could  walk  were  placed  in  ranks  again, 
along  with  about  1200  able  bodied  men,  recently  captured 
from  our  armies,  and  we  were  started  on  the  march  for 
Danville,  Virginia,  distant  seventy  or  eighty  miles.  The 
suffering  endured  on  this  march  by  the  wounded  it  is  impos 
sible  to  describe.  A  great  many  died  on  the  way  from 
sun-stroke  and  exhaustion.  Not  as  much  as  one  day's 
rations  was  issued  to  us  on  the  whole  trip,  and  we  suffered 
terribly  for  water  to  drink  and  to  dress  our  wounds  with. 
As  we  passed  along  the  road,  old  men  and  boys  would  come 
out  with  shot  guns,  and  go  a  certain  distance  as  guards 
when  they  would  be  relieved  by  others.  All  believed  that 
General  Lee  was  going  to  'take  Pennsylvania.'  'Let's  see, 
that's  in  Maryland,  isn't  it?'  inquired  an  old  citizen  one  day. 
We  begged,  time  and  again,  to  rest,  and  for  water  to  drink 
and  to  bathe  our  wounds,  but  the  only  answer  we  got  was, 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  285 

'  Keep  up,  you  d d  Yanks,  or  I'll  run  my  sword  through 

you  and  leave  you  by  the  roadside  for  the  hogs  to  eat.' 
We  arrived  at  Danville  about  sun  down,  the  fourth  day,  and 
were  quartered  in  the  upper  stories  of  two  ware  houses. 
The  floors  were  covered  with  filth  and  vermin.  About  ten 
o'clock  they  distributed  rations,  consisting  only  of  corn 
bread.  The  stock  provided  for  us  went  only  about  two- 
thirds  around.  I  was  in  the  last  third  and  got  nothing.  It 
was  the  first  time  in  my  life  that  I  was  brought  to  tears 
from  hunger.  Next  morning  we  received  rations  for  two 
days,  most  of  which  was  eaten  by  some  of  us  for  breakfast. 
We  inquired  if  there  was  not  some  mistake,  as  there  was 
not  enough  left  for  another  meal.  Our  answer  was,  'No, 
that's  all  that  was  intended  for  you,  and  it  is  better  than 
you  deserve.'  In  the  morning  we  were  loaded,  sixty  or 
seventy  in  box  stock  cars,  for  Anderson ville,  to  be  bumped 
and  jolted  for  four  days  in  the  most  inhuman  manner,  over 
terrible  roads.  I  cannot  describe  our  sufferings  from  hun 
ger,  thirst  and  every  ill-treatment  that  could  be  heaped 
upon  us.  Among  the  many  inhuman  wretches  who  had 
charge  of  us,  there  were  a  few  who  were  as  kind  to  us  as 
they  dare  be.  Some  of  our  guards  fairly  shuddered  at  the 
cruel  way  in  which  we  were  treated,  but  they  were  power 
less  to  relieve  our  suffering.  For  miles  the  very  bad  con 
dition  of  the  railroad  prevented  us  going  faster  than  a  man 
could  walk,  but  every  time  a  stop  or  a  start  was  made,  it 
was  done  with  such  bumps  and  jerks  as  to  almost  kill  the 
sore  and  wounded  men  on  the  train;  the  seeming  purpose 
being  to  punish  us  as  much  as  possible.  A  number  died  on 
the  way  in  the  cars.  At  places  we  stopped,  our  men 
traded  their  shoes,  knives,  combs  and  blouses  for  something 
to  eat.  1  think  it  was  at  Charlotte,  North  Carolina,  that 
we  had  information  that  we  were  to  remain  on  the  side 
track  for  about  two  hours.  I  had  almost  given  up  being 


286  ONE    HUNDRED   AND   SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

able  to  live  through  the  journey.  I  beckoned  a  Lieutenant 
to  the  car  door,  and  showing  him  my  wound  as  politely  as 
I  knew  how,  asked  to  be  let  out  on  the  ground  for  a  short 
time.  He  picked  up  a  stick,  and  striking  me  with  it,  told 

me  to  'get  back  there,  or  I'll  wound  you  a  d d  sight 

worse  than  you  are.'  The  blow  he  gave  me,  which  was  on 
the  head,  rendered  me  insensible  for  awhile.  One  of  the 
guards  finally,  for  a  two  dollar  confederate  note,  obtained  me 
a  cup  of  water  and  a  sweet  potato.  I  learned  the  name 
of  the  officer  who  struck  me,  and  tried  to  remember  it,  but 
have  long  since  forgotten  it.  Many  of  our  men  had  similar 
experiences  of  cruel  treatment.  On  the  loth  of  July,  all 
but  the  dead  and  dying  were  marched  into  Andersonville, 
and  past  the  demon  Wirz'  headquarters.  We  were  then 
divided  into  detatchments  of  270,  and  grouped  into  squads 
of  ninety.  One  of  our  men  who  stepped  from  ranks  to 
place  a  blouse  under  a  dying  man's  head,  was  struck  by  an 
officer  with  his  sword,  and  sent  reeling  back  into  ranks. 
Finally  we  were  started  off  for  the  south  gate  of  the 
stockade,  which  resembled  butchers  driving  hogs  into  the 
slaughter  pens  more  than  anything  else.  This  was  the 
most  awrful  hell-hole  ever  seen  on  earth.  Men  were  not 
only  starved  to  death,  but  they  were  inhumanly  shot  down 
and  tortured  to  death  in  a  hundred  untold  ways.  Here 
were  once  strong  men  in  every  stage  of  idiocy  and  imbecility, 
the  result  of  cruelty,  the  most  barbarous  ever  witnessed. 
When  weak,  sickly  men  would  vomit  up  the  filthy  food  fur 
nished  them;  others  would  struggle  with  each  other  to  get 
and  eat  it,  and  even  quarrel  over  it.  The  villain  Wirz 
deserved  not  only  one,  but  a  thousand  deaths.  He  was 
a  cruel  monster,  such  as  only  could  be  bred  in  the  red  fires 
of  that  hellish  rebellion.  Andersonville  under  his  charge 
was  worse  than  any  picture  ever  yet  written  of  hell.  But 
the  horrors  of  Andersonville,  as  often  as  they  have  been 


ONE    HUNDRED   AND   SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  287 

described,  have  never  been  half  told,  because  no  human 
power  can  do  it.  About  the  middle  of  September,  Yockey 
and  myself  were  taken  out  of  the  pen,  as  we  were  told,  for 
exchange,  but  instead  were  sent  off  to  Florence,  Alabama. 
Preshaw  was  sick  and  soon  after  died.  (Preshaw  died 
November  3d,  1864,  at  Anderson ville,  and  is  buried  there 
in  grave  No.  11779).  Barrett,  the  keeper  at  Florence,  we 
found  to  be  as  great  a  brute  as  Wirz.  Indeed,  the  results 
of  neglect  and  cruelty  were  here  seen  in  more  horrible 
shapes  than  at  Andersonville.  Men's  limbs  rotted  off  with 
gangrene;  men  died  by  inches  of  starvation;  fell  victims 
to  that  dread  disease,  scurvy;  great  numbers  were  insane 
from  hardship,  privation,  exposure  and  starvation.  Sea 
soned  and  hardened  soldiers  wandered  restlessly  about  the 
camp  in  despair,  and  utterly,  hopelessly  insane  from  melan 
choly  and  privation.  The  sight  was  terribly  distressing 
and  painful.  The  guards  were  anxious,  and  sought  excuses 
to  shoot  down  men  at  the  'dead  line,'  and  many  men  in 
their  desperation,  rushed  upon  death  and  begged  to  be 
shot  as  a  relief  from  their  unendurable  misery.  Escaping 
prisoners  were  chased  by  blood-hounds.  The  'stockade' 
at  Florence  was  not  completed,  and  a  strong  guard  was 
placed  around  the  field  in  which  the  prisoners  were  placed. 
Soon  after  our  arrival,  between  four  and  five  hundred  pris 
oners  made  their  escape  in  open  daylight,  by  breaking 
through  the  guard;  some  were  killed,  others  wounded, 
others  were  recaptured,  but  a  great  many  made  their  escape 
and  reached  our  lines  at  different  points.  A  soldier  of  an 
Illinois  regiment,  one  from  a  Maine  regiment,  and  myself  had 
got  about  seventeen  miles  from  Florence,  when  we  were 
overtaken  by  blood-hounds  in  the  night,  and  we  climbed 
trees.  Horsemen  came  up  to  the  hounds  very  soon  and 
ordered  us  down.  We  came  dowrn,  and,  contrary  to  our 
expectations,  they  treated  us  kindly.  We  spent  most  of 


288  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

the  next  day,  Sunday,  in  the  jail  at  Darlington,  South  Car 
olina,  with  about  fifteen  others  who  had  been  re-captured. 
Men,  women  and  children  came  to  see  us.  Some  kind 
Samaritans,  pitying  our  condition,  brought  us  provisions, 
and  we  really  had  a  feast.  After  getting  a  good  meal  and 
washing  up  well,  we  started  back  for  Florence,  which  we 
reached  that  night.  We  expected  rough  treatment  for  our 
attempt  to  escape,  but  to  our  surprise,  we  received  no  pun 
ishment.  About  the  middle  of  December  \ve  were  told  that 
the  sick  would  that  day  be  taken  out  for  exchange.  1  man 
aged  to  be  pretty  sick,  and  went  out,  leaving  my  trusty 
friend  Yockey  behind,  who  could  not  even  play  sick,  and  so 
had  to  remain  for  several  weeks  longer.  We  were  taken 
to  Charleston  and  delivered  aboard  our  transports,  and,  I 
think,  on  the  iyth  of  December,  landed  at  Annapolis,  Md. 
I  would  like  to  describe  our  feelings  and  actions  on  first 
getting  sight  of  the  old  flag,  but  I  have  not  the  power  to 
do  it.  Oh,  how  we  cheered,  yelled  and  cried!  At  Annap 
olis  wre  were  again  in  God's  country,  and  were  washed, 
clothed,  fed,  and  taken  the  kindest  possible  care  of.  I 
spent  Christmas  at  my  home  in  Malaga,  Ohio,  and  soon 
after  went  to  Columbus  to  await  exchange,  which  occurred 
the  latter  part  of  February,  1865.  I  rejoined  my  regiment 
near  Appomattox  in  time  to  see  the  surrender,  and  after 
wards  went  with  it  to  Lynchburg,  and  looked  for  that  rebel 
commander  of  the  post  and  some  of  the  citizens  who  cruelly 
cheered  when  the  brutes  beat  and  insulted  us  there,  but 
they  were  all  '  out  of  town.' '' 

HORACE  MCNEIL, 

Of  Company  B, 

WAS  captured  at  Lynchburg,  Virginia,  July  18,  1864,  and 
was  confined  at  Andersonville,  Georgia,  and  Blackshire, 
Georgia;  escaped  from  the  latter  place,  December  14,  1864, 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  289 

and  reached  the  coast  and  was  rescued  by  a  blockading 
ship,  December  18,  1864.  I  have  been  unabje  to  obtain  the 
particulars  of  his  escape. 

LIEUTENANT  MANNING, 

WAS  a  prisoner  from  June  14,  1863,  to  March  5,  1865,  and 
during  this  time  made  the  tour  of  nearly  all  the  rebel  prison 
pens  of  the  South.  But  he  returned  in  time  to  witness  the 
final  surrender  at  Appomattox. 

LIEUTENANT  SIBLEY 

REMAINED  a  prisoner  from  June  15,  1863,  to  December  10, 
1864,  when  he  was  exchanged  at  Charleston  Harbor.  In 
response  to  my  request  for  his  experience  as  a  prisoner  of 
war,  he  sends  me  an  article  published  in  the  Cleveland 
Herald,  June  2,  1881.  It  is  so  important,  and  at  the  same 
time  develops  so  interesting  and  startling  a  feature  of  his 
prison  life,  that  I  give  it  here  entire.  It  is  befitting,  also, 
that  so  important  a  fact  as  it  relates  be  placed  in  some  more 
enduring  form  than  in  the  files  of  a  newspaper,  and  as  it  so 
nearly  concerned  several  of  our  own  officers,  at  the  time 
confined  in  Libby  Prison,  it  is  entirely  appropriate  that  it 
appear  in  the  history  of  the  regiment : 

"  When  all  the  unpublished  records  of  the  war  are  brought 
forth  to  the  light  of  day,  a  much  worse  showing  will  be 
made  for  the  slave-driving  prosecutors  of  the  secession  war 
than  even  now  is  thought  possible.  We  know  of  some  of 
the  horrors  of  Andersonville  and  Libby  prisons,  but  those 
who  could  have  told  the  worst  were  not  permitted  to  speak. 
They  were  "dismissed"  from  their  horrible  places  of  con 
finement  even  as  the  Nihilists  of  to-day  dismiss  their  recre 
ant  members  —  through  the  gateway  of  death.  Nothing 
more  fully  demonstrates  the  condition  of  a  people  than  the 
treatment  they  bestow  upon  helpless  prisoners  of  war.  The 
North,  with  its  fuller  and  better  civilization  and  broader  cul- 

19 


290  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

ture,  cared  for  the  Southern  prisoners  as  though  they  were 
brothers  in  captivity.  In  return,  the  barbarous  Southerners 
devised  all  the  horrors  of  an  inquisition,  and  placed  the  vol 
unteers  of  the  Northern  army  into  the  midst  of  them. 
Hunger  and  starvation  were  hastened  on  in  their  ghastly 
work  by  the  lack  of  proper  clothing  and  constant  exposure 
to  a  climate  which  was  new  to  the  victims.  Men  were  shot 
and  bayoneted  for  trivial  offences,  and  there  was  a  constant 
failure  to  exchange  at  the  proper  time.  In  short,  the  South 
ern  heart,  brutalized  by  generations  of  human  slavery,  con 
templated,  with  a  coolness  that  we  can  scarcely  understand, 
the  proposition  of  starving  to  death  thousands  of  regular 
prisoners  of  war.  Much  of  this  has  already  been  known, 
and  the  apologists  of  this  inhumanity  have  urged  that  it 
was  done  by  irresponsible  parties  largely,  and  by  those  who 
were  far  removed  from  the  seat  of  the  secession  Govern 
ment.  This  cannot  be  said  of  the  atrocities  of  Libby  prison, 
which  were  enacted  right  in  the  shadow  of  the  secession 
capital,  and  there  is  little  doubt  but  the  soured  old  man, 
who  should  have  been  hanged  at  the  close  of  the  war,  but 
has  lived  and  now  has  the  effrontery  to  write  his  recollec 
tions  of  the  time  and  justify  in  a  dull  dogged  way  the  ac 
tions  for  which  he  should  have  been  executed,  was  the  man 
who  planned  them. 

But  of  all  that  has  been  said,  it  would  seem  to  me  that 
the  manuscript  given  below,  and  published  now  for  the  first 
time,  betrays  the  most  damnable  and  cold-blooded  plan  of 
all.  It  was  nothing  less  than  a  plan  to  blow  up  the  prison 
in  case  of  a  contingency  by  which  the  prisoners  were  likely 
to  escape  or  by  which  they  might  be  rescued  by  their 
friends. 

I  have  been  permitted  to  copy  this  from  a  manuscript  in 
possession  of  H.  L.  Sibley,  Esq.,  a  prominent  attorney  of 
this  city,  who  was  a  lieutenant  in  company  B,  n6th  O.  V.  L 
and  was  confined  in  Libby  prison  at  the  time  this  manu- 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  29 1 

script  was  written,  and  himself  made  a  copy  of  it  from  the 
manuscript  of  Colonel  Nichols,  of  Connecticut,  the  author. 
The  paper  was  written  and  the  copy  made,  of  course,  in 
Libby  prison : 

(COPY.) 

"  LIBBY  PRISON,  RICHMOND,  VA.,  > 
FRIDAY,  March  4th,  1864.       J 

"This  morning  the  rebel  sergeant  called  me  to  the  office 
of  Major  Turner.  There  I  met  Dr.  William  A.  Smith, 
president  of  Randolph  Macon  College.  Under  a  mistaken 
idea  as  to  who  he  was,  I  had  asked  his  assistance  in  procur 
ing  for  me  a  special  exchange.  I  knew  by  the  papers  that 
he  was  a  man  of  large  influence  —  a  champion  upon  the  ros 
trum  of  the  Confederate  cause.  I  thought  it  was  another 
Smith  —  a  graduate  of  the  Wesleyan  University  of  Con 
necticut,  a  man  of  the  same  college  lodge  as  myself,  and 
though  personally  unknown  to  me,  I  felt  justified  in  ad 
dressing  him.  Last  -  -  he  called,  apologizing  for  delay 
ing  so  long  to  see  me,  saying  it  was  the  first  time  he  had 
visited  the  city  since  receiving  my  note.  I  perceived  I  had 
mistaken  the  man,  and  duly  excused  my  error.  But  he 
seemed  rather  pleased  to  meet  me,  although  a  stranger,  and 
we  conversed  about  noted  Methodists  of  the  North,  with 
whom  we  were  both  acquainted.  He  was  an  old  man,  sev 
enty-five,  perhaps,  and  had  been  president  of  Macon  Col 
lege  seventeen  years.  He  spoke  of  the  divisions  of  the 
M.  E.  church,  of  Dr.  Olin,  the  first  president  of  R.  and  M. 
College,  and  various  other  topics.  I  stated  why  I  was  de 
sirous  of  an  exchange,  and  he  thought  without  a  doubt  he 
could  bring  it  about,  and  would  be  pleased  to  do  so.  He 
referred  to  the  wrar,  its  causes,  its  purposes,  etc.,  eulogizing 
Southern  bravery,  determination,  and  declaring  that  a  con 
quest  would  not  bring  peace,  that  he  himself  '  would  never 
live  again  under  the  common  flag.'  '  Old  as  I  im,'  said  he, 
'and  a  cripple,  I  will  leave  forever  my  native  land.'  The 


2p2  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

South  would,  however,  never  yield.  He  left,  after  various 
incidental  remarks  having  passed  between  us,  saying  he 
would  write  to  me,  or  call  and  see  me  soon. 

"This  evening  at  sunset  he  sent  for  me.  Had  seen,  in 
a  long  interview,  Judge  Ould,  and  learned  from  him  that 
through  the  cartel,  and  that  alone,  would  he  consent  to 
make  exchanges.  They  only  deferred  a  general  exchange, 
and  if  our  Government  wanted  me,  or  all,  it  could  have  us 
by  living  up  to  its  sworn  treaty,  as  by  the  cartel,  and  not 
otherwise. 

"Various  remarks  passed  between  us.  I  said  I  thought 
that  to  be  the  Judge's  idea,  but  still  he  had  varied  the  rule 
in  some  instances,  and  thought  he  continued  to  occasionally. 
He  had  urged  my  case  strongly,  he  said,  and  was  sorry  he 
could  not  obtain  my  release.  I  thanked  him  warmly,  for  I 
felt  that  he  had  acted  kindly  in  so  interesting  himself  in  a 
stranger.  I  perceived  that  he  desired  to  talk  upon  general 
matters,  and  he  even  said  that  Judge  Ould  requested  him  to 
say  to  me  that  the  officers  here  owed  it  to  themselves  that 
they  express  some  dissent  to  the  action  of  the  United  States 
Government  in  thus  leaving  us  here,  by  violating  its  own 
pledges  in  the  cartel,  which  stipulated  for  a  paroling  and 
exchanging  of  all,  or  words  to  that  effect.  The  doctor 
thought  I  ought  to  write  to  my  Government,  and  that  the 
officers  generally  should,  in  their  letters  to  their  friends,  ex 
press  their  disappointment  at  such  a  course  and  such  neg 
lect.  He  also  said  that  the  late  raid  had  been  characterized 
by  much  brutality  and  atrocity — private  property  destroyed 
and  general  plundering  permitted.  That  on  the  body  of 
Colonel  Dahlgren  were  found  instructions  from  our  Gov 
ernment,  saying  that  three  columns  were  to  advance  upon 
the  city,  which  was  to  be  taken,  plundered,  sacked  and 
burnt,  the  prisoners  rescued  and  the  place  abandoned.  Ac 
cordingly,  he  said,  the  authorities  (Mr.  Davis  and  Cabinet) 
were  now  in  session,  deliberating  on  the  course  to  be  taken 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  293 

in  view  of  this  state  of  affairs;  this  was  upon  private  rights, 
so   ruthless   and   so   contrary   to   legal   warfare.     He    said, 
moreover — and   here   I   make   a   record   of   it,  that   I   may 
make  no  mistake  hereafter  through  lack  of  memory — that 
the  -prison  was  to  be  undermined,  and  powder  placed  beneath, 
so  that  in  case  of  an  attempt  that  was  likely  to  be  successful 
by  an   expedition    thus  carried  on,   the  prisoners   in   Libby 
would  be  blown  to  atoms.     This  he  stated  as  though  he  had 
been  asked  to,  that  the  prisoners,  through  me,  might  know 
how  dangerous  would  be  an  effort  on  their  part,  or  on  the 
part  of  their  friends,  to  rescue  us.     To  all  his  remarks  I 
made,  as  I  thought,  moderate  but  fitting  replies.     But  to 
my  direct  question,  whether  or  not  he  approved  of  such  a 
resort,  he  made  no  definite  answer.     I  asked   him   if   any 
parallel   in   the  annals  of  war   would  justify  it,  or  to  that 
effect.     He  remarked  generally  that  only  as  a  retaliatory 
measure  could  anything  of  the  kind  be  justified.     He  asked 
me  if  the  officers  were  aware  of  it.     I  told  him  we  had  suf 
ficient  evidence  to  believe  it  so,  and  had  had  for  two  days. 
But  the  proceeding  was  so  horrible  to  think  of  that  we  re 
jected  all  evidence,  and  said  it  could  not  be  that  the  author 
ities   here  would    resort    to  a  measure  so   murderous,  and 
even  so  impolitic.     I  remarked  that  I  regarded  such  pro 
ceedings   as  a  high   crime,  not   against   the  United  States 
Government  only,  but  against  humanity.     I  told  him  that 
the  officers,  as  a  body,  had  shown   themselves  reasonable 
men.     They  had  never  in  a  single  instance  resorted  to  des 
perate  measures,  nor  had  they  proposed  to.     They  would 
respect,  and    had    respected,  a    sufficient    guard.     Such    a 
guard   the  Confederate  authorities  were  bound  to  furnish, 
and  not  a  guard  sufficient  only  by  holding  inter sonun  cer 
tain  destruction  en  masse,  as  well  in  case  our  friends  were 
able  to  release  us,  as  in  case  we  rise  up  ourselves  for  our 
liberty.     In  any  event  I  pronounced  it  unjustifiable,  barbar 
ous  and  murderous.     The  old  gentleman  was  full  of  anx- 


294  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

iety,  evidently,  and  expressed  what  I  supposed  to  be  the 
fact,  that  this  raid  had  greatly  exasperated  the  people.  He 
thought  we  might  all  soon  leave  for  a  more  interior  place  of 
confinement.  He  shuddered  to  forecast  the  probabilities  of 
severe  measures  that  would  yet  be  necessary;  said  Mr. 
Davis  held  back  public  sentiment,  for  he  was  a  wise  and 
God-fearing  man  —  so  unlike  President  Lincoln,  who  had 
violated  the  Constitution,  and  diverted  the  war  from  its 
originally  proposed  objects,  etc.,  etc.;  said  that  Mr.  Davis 
was  a  praying  man.  I  asked  him  if  he  did  not  think  it  a 
significant  circumstance  that  in  the  last  Presidential  election 
not  a  word  did  the  bitterest  opponent  utter  against  the  hon 
esty  and  general  character  of  Mr.  Lincoln. 

"  Other  remarks  were  passed  between  us.  But  mainly  I 
write  this  to  put  freshly  on  record  what  no  one  of  these 
thousand  officers  but  myself  knows  —  that  we  are  moving, 
sleeping,  living  over  a  torpedo,  a  magazine — which  is  de 
signed  to  fcblow  them  to  atoms,'  to  use  Dr.  Smith's  own 
words. 

"  MONROE  NICHOLS, 
-Lieut.  Col.  1 8th  Conn.  V.  I." 

NOTE. —  I  copied  the  original  of  the  above  in  Libby 
Prison  the  day  following.  Colonel  N.  was  then  my  mess 
mate,  and  read  it  to  me  immediately  it  was  written  by  him. 
I  sat  by  him  as  he  wrote,  seeing  that  something  of  import 
ance  was  in  hand. 

HIRAM  L.  SIBLEY, 
Lieut.  Co.  «B,"  n6th  O.  V.  I. 

Monday  morning,  March  7th,  1864,  the  Richmond  Daily 
Enquirer  of  that  date  had  the  following  editorial  remarks, 
viz: 

"  LIBBY  PRISON. — The  commandant  of  this  prison,  we 
learn,  has  made  very  satisfactory  arrangements  to  secure 
the  Yankee  officers  now  under  his  charge,  in  case  of  a  sue- 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

cessful  inroad  into  Richmond  by  the  Yankee  raiders.  The 
nature  of  these  arrangements  need  not  be  mentioned." 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  work  entitled  "A 
Rebel  War  Clerk's  Diary  at  the  Confederate  States  Capi1 
tal,  by  J.  B.  Jones,  clerk  in  the  War  Department  of  the 
Confederate  States  Government,  author  of  'Wild  Western 
Scenes,'  etc.,  etc."  Published  by  J.  B.  Lippincott  &  Co., 
Philadelphia,  1866.  Under  date  of  "March  2d,  1864,"  on 
page  164,  the  Diary  says: 

"Last  night,  when  it  was  supposed  probable  that  the 
prisoners  of  war  at  the  Libby  might  make  an  attempt  to 
break  out,  General  Winder  ordered  that  a  large  amount  of 
powder  be  -placed  under  the  building,  with  instructions  to 
blow  them  up  if  the  attempt  were  made.  He  was  per 
suaded,  however,  to  consult  the  Secretary  of  War  first,  and 
get  his  approbation.  The  Secretary  would  give  no  such 
order,  but  said  the  prisoners  must  not  be  permitted  to  es 
cape  under  any  circumstances,  which  ^vas  considered  sanction 
enough.  Captain  -  obtained  an  order  for,  and  procured 
several  hundred  pounds  of  powder,  which  were  placed  in 
readiness.  Whether  the  prisoners  were  advised  of  this,  I 
kno\v  not." 

What  Colonel  Nichols  refers  to  in  his  statement  to  Dr. 
Smith,  that  the  prisoners  had  evidence  of  this  "  gunpowder 
plot,"  is  the  hints,  and  finally  the  open  assertions  of  the  col 
ored  men  who  "policed"  our  quarters.  They  were  our 
friends,  and  were  evidently  horrified  at  the  thought  of 
what  had  been  done.  In  hasty  sentences,  given  when  not 
watched  by  the  rebel  who  had  them  in  charge,  they  had, 
for  a  couple  of  days  before  Colonel  Nichols  saw  Dr.  Smith 
in  the  conversation  he  reports,  given  us  warning,  at  first 
vaguely,  as  of  some  terrible  impending  calamity,  and  at  last 
\\iefact  that  powder  was  under  the  prison  to  blow  us  up. 

HIRAM  L.  SIBLEY. 


2p6  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

In  a  private  note  to  your  correspondent  Mr.  Sibley  says : 
"I  hand  you  a  copy  of  the  document  you  desire,  and  also 
an  extract  from  a  book  published  by  an  ex-rebel  (Jones) 
since  the  war,  corroborating  all  that  Colonel  Nichols  states 
as  to  the  atrocious  schemes  to  'blow  us  to  atom?,'  rather 
than  suffer  our  rescue. 

"The  whole  affair  comes  very  vividly  to  my  memory  in 
going  over  the  paper.  Besides,  the  night  following,  we 
could  at  times  hear  the  boom  of  cannon  which  told  that  the 
raiders  were  in  the  vicinity  of  Richmond,  and  if  they  got  in, 
I  with  the  three  others  who  alone  knew  the  facts  which  Dr. 
Smith  gave  Colonel  N.  (being  Generals  Neal  Dow  and 
Scammouth,y~6wr)  expected  the  springing  of  the  mine.  A 
more  uneasy  night  I  never  yet  have  passed. 

"Colonel  N.,  after  reading  the  paper  to  me,  went  to 
these  two  Generals,  they  being  the  only  general  officers  then 
in  prison,  and  privately  read  the  statement  to  them,  asking 
their  judgment  as  to  keeping  it  secret,  or  letting  the  pris 
oners  generally  know  the  facts.  The  former  was  deemed 
the  wiser  course,  lest  in  a  frenzy  the  attempt  be  made  by 
some  to  force  the  guard,  and  we  all  thereby  become  in 
volved  in  destruction  by  setting  off  the  mine. 

"  Colonel  Nichols  was  a  Christian  scholar  and  gentle 
man.  He  was  educated  at  the  Wesley  an  University  of 
Middletovvn,  Conn.  Later  he  was  specially  exchanged,  but 
not  until  he  had  contracted  a  disease  from  which  he  died  in 
1867,  I  believe.  No  nobler  or  truer  man  perished  from  the 
wounds  or  hardships  of  the  war. 

"1  was  a  lieutenant  in  Company  <B'  n6th  O.  V.  I. 
Resigned  the  County  Common  Pleas  clerk's  office,  in 
Meigs  County,  O.,  to  go  into  service,  under  the  second  call 
for  300,000  men  in  1862.  Was  captured  with  part  of  Gen 
eral  R.  H.  Milroy's  command,  near  Winchester,  Va.,  June 
1 5th,  1863,  by  the  advance  (E well's  corps)  of  Lee's  army. 
June  22d  I  went  to  Libby.  May  7,  1864,  I  went  out,  going 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

to  Danville,  Va.,  about  a  week,  and  thence  to  Moscow,  Ga., 
where  I  stayed  till  July  3oth,  when  I  was  taken  to  Savan 
nah.  There  I  was  kept  till  September  i3th,  when  I  was 
carried  to  Charleston,  S.  C.,  and  put  'under  fire'  (from  our 
bombardment  of  the  city)  until  October  5th,  when  I  was 
taken  to  what  came  to  be  known  as  '  Camp  Sorghum,' 
about  three  miles  from  Columbia,  S.  C.  There  I  stayed 
until  December  pth,  1864,  when,  as  one  of  the  "sick  or 
wounded,"  I  was  taken  back  to  Charleston,  and  the  next 
day  (the  zoth)  was  exchanged,  being  a  prisoner  eighteen 
months,  lacking  five  days." 

But  what  account  shall  we  give  of  the  the  poor  fellows 
who  entered  the  prison  pens  of  the  South,  never  again  to 
come  out  alive  ?  Their  story  of  prison  life  is  briefly  told  in 
their  death  !  The  rolls  tell  the  end  of  many  and  many  a 
gallant  boy  and  man  who  "died  at  Andersonville,"  "died  at 
Salisbury,"  and  so  on.  No  pen  can  ever  paint  black  enough 
the  horrible  treatment  given  our  prisoners  by  rebel  prison- 
keepers.  Humanity  through  all  time  will  shudder  at  the 
story  of  the  wrongs  they  inflicted  upon  the  men  who,  through 
the  fortunes  of  war,  fell  into  their  hands. 

In  his  report  to  the  War  Department,  dated  October  31, 
1865,  on  tne  findings  of  the  court  which  tried  the  inhuman 
monster  Wirz,  Judge  Advocate  General  Holt  says : 

"  Language  fails  in  an  attempt  to  denounce,  even  in  faint 
terms,  the  diabolical  combination  for  the  destruction  and 
death,  by  cruel  and  fiendishly  ingenious  processes,  of  help 
less  prisoners  of  war  who  might  fall  into  their  hands,  which 
this  record  shows  was  plotted  and  deliberately  entered  upon, 
and,  as  far  as  time  permitted,  accomplished  by  the  rebel 
authorities  and  their  brutal  underlings  at  Andersonville 
prison.  Criminal  history  presents  no  parallel  to  this  mon 
strous  conspiracy,  and  from  the  whole  catalogue  of  infamous 
devices  within  reach  of  human  hands,  a  system  for  the  mur 
der  of  men  more  revolting  in  its  details  could  not  have  been 


2p  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

planned.  Upon  the  heads  of  those  named  by  the  court  in 
its  findings,  the  guilt  of  this  immeasurable  crime  is  fixed,  a 
guilt  so  fearfully  black  and  horrible  that  the  civilized  world 
must  be  appalled  by  the  spectacle." 

******** 

"  The  annals  of  our  race  present  nowhere  and  at  no  time 
a  darker  field  of  crime  than  that  of  Andersonville,  and  it  is 
fortunate  for  the  interests,  alike  of  public  justice  and  of  his 
toric  truth,  that  from  this  field  the  veil  has  been  so  faithfully 
and  so  completely  lifted.  All  the  horrors  of  this  pande 
monium  of  the  rebellion  are  laid  bare  to  us  in  the  broad, 
steady  light  of  the  testimony  of  some  150  witnesses,  who 
spoke  what  they  had  seen  and  heard  and  suffered,  and  whose 
evidence,  given  under  oath  and  subjected  to  cross-examina 
tion,  and  to  every  other  test  which  human  experience  has 
devised  for  the  ascertainment  of  truth,  must  be  accepted  as 
affording  an  immovable  foundation  for  the  sentence  pro 
nounced." 

"  The  proof  under  the  second  charge  shows  that  some  of 
our  soldiers,  for  mere  attempts  to  escape  from  their  oppres 
sors,  were  given  to  ferocious  dogs  to  be  torn  in  pieces;  that 
others  wrere  confined  in  stocks  and  chains  till  life  yielded  to 
the  torture,  and  that  others  were  wantonly  shot  down  at 
Wirz's  bidding  or  by  his  owrn  hand.  Here  in  the  presence 
of  these  pitiless  murders  of  unarmed  and  helpless  men,  so 
distinctly  alleged  and  proved,  justice  might  well  claim  the 
prisoner's  life.  There  remain,  however,  to  be  contemplated, 
crimes  yet  more  revolting,  for  which  he  and  his  co-conspir 
ators  must  be  held  responsible.  The  Andersonville  prison 
records  (made  exhibits  in  this  case)  contain  a  roster  of  over 
thirteen  thousand  (13,000)  dead,  buried  naked,  maimed  and 
putrid,  in  one  vast  sepulchre.  Of  these,  a  surgeon  of  the 
rebel  army  who  was  on  duty  at  this  prison,  testifies  that  at 
least  three-fourths  died  of  the  treatment  inflicted  on  them 
while  in  confinement,  and  a  surgeon  of  our  own  army  who 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  299 

was  a  prisoner  there,  states  that  four-fifths  died  from  this 
cause.  Under  this  proof,  which  has  not  been  assailed,  nearly 
10,000,  if  not  more  of  these  deaths  must  be  charged  directly 
to  the  account  of  Wirz  and  his  associates.  This  widespread 
sacrifice  of  life  was  not  made  suddenly  or  under  the  influence 
of  wild,  ungovernable  passion,  but  was  accomplished  slowly 
and  deliberately,  by  packing  upwards  of  30,000  men,  like 
cattle,  into  a  fetid  pen,  a  mere  cesspool,  there  to  die  for  need 
of  air  to  breathe;  for  want  of  ground  on  which  to  lie;  from 
lack  of  shelter  from  sun  and  rain,  and  from  the  slow,  agonizing 
process  of  starvation;  when  air  and  space  and  shelter  and 
food  were  all  within  the  ready  gift  of  their  tormentors. 
This  work  of  death  seems  to  have  been  a  saturnalia  of 
enjoyment  for  the  prisoner,  who,  among  these  savage  orgies 
evidenced  such  exultation,  and  mingled  with  them  such 
nameless  blasphemy  and  ribald  jests,  as  at  times  to  exhibit 
him  rather  as  a  demon  than  a  man.  It  was  his  continual 
boast  that  by  these  barbarities  he  was  destroying  more 
Union  soldiers  than  rebel  generals  were  butchering  on  the 
battle-field.  He  claimed  to  be  doing  the  work  of  the  rebel 
lion,  and  faithfully,  in  all  his  murderous  crueltv  and  base 
ness,  did  he  represent  its  spirit.  It  is  by  looking  upon  the 
cemeteries  which  have  been  filled  from  Libby,  Belle  Isle, 
Salisbury,  Florence  and  Andersonville,  and  other  rebel 
prisons,  and  recalling  the  prolonged  sufferings  of  the  pat 
riots  who  are  sleeping  there,  that  we  can  best  understand 
the  inner  and  real  life  of  the  rebellion,  and  the  hellish  crim 
inality  and  brutality  of  the  traitors  who  maintained  it.  For 
such  crimes  human  power  is  absolutely  impotent  to  enforce 
any  adequate  atonement." 

This  is  the  horrible  story  of  Andersonville,  one  of  the 
many  hellish  prison  pens  of  the  South,  while  of  those  less 
notorious  prisons,  such  as  Libby,  Belle  Isle,  Cahawba,  Black- 
shire,  Millen,  Tyler,  Florence,  Salisbury,  Macon  and  Charles 
ton,  almost  nothing  is  known,  save  the  reports  given  by  those 


3OO  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

escaping  from  them  with  their  lives.     These  reports  make 
them  but  a  little  more  humane  than  Andersonville. 

We  have  endeavored  to  obtain  a  full  list  of  our  men  who 
died  in  rebel  prisons.  We  have  succeeded  in  making  it  more 
complete  than  we  dared  to  hope,  and  here  give  the  result  of 
our  efforts.  It  will  be  a  consolation,  though  a  sad  one,  to 
many,  to  know  where  lie  the  remains  of  their  dead  hero 
friends.  The  following  list  also  contains  the  burial  places 
of  many  who  were  killed  in  battle,  many  who  died  of  wounds 
and  of  disease.  I  have  taken  great  pains  to  make  it  as 
complete  and  accurate  as  possible,  yet  there  may  be  some 
errors  in  it,  and  some  names  may  be  omitted  which  ought 
to  be  included  in  it.  But  it  is  as  correct  as  I  could  make  it 
after  a  great  deal  of  care  and  searching  of  records,  together 
with  the  kind  assistance  of  the  Quartermaster  General  of 
the  Army  and  the  Adjutant  General  of  Ohio: 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 


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CHAPTER  XVIII. 

SKETCHES    OF    DECEASED   OFFICERS CAPTAIN    F.  H.  ARCKE- 

NOE CAPTAIN    E.    KEYES LIEUTENANT    ROBERT    WIL 
SON LIEUTENANT    LEVI    LUPTON SURGEON    THOMAS  J. 

SHANNON CAPTAIN     ALEXANDER     COCHR  AN  —  CAPTAIN 

EDWARD      FULLER CAPTAIN      WILLIAM      MYERS SUR 
GEON    WALTER    R.    GILKEY HOSPITAL    STEWARD  JAMES 

T.     MORAN  — LIEUTENANT     M.     A.     ELLIS MAJOR     JOHN 

HULL. 

IN  MEMORIAM. 

It  has  been  thought  best  to  add  this  chapter  in  com 
memoration  of  the  noble  men  who  surrendered  their  lives  to 
their  country.  Included  in  the  following  pages  are  those 
officers  who  died  in  the  service,  as  well  as  those  who  have 
since  died  from  wounds  received  or  disease  contracted  in 
the  service. 

CAPTAIN  FREDERICK  H.  ARCKENOE. 

The  first  officer  killed  in  action  was  Captain  Arckenoe, 
who  fell  at  the  battle  of  Winchester,  June  14,  1863.  He 
was  a  Prussian  by  birth,  and  had  been  in  this  country  but 
a  few  years  before  the  breaking  out  of  the  war.  He  was  a 
finely  educated  gentleman,  had  learned  the  art  of  war  in  the 
military  schools  and  armies  of  his  fatherland,  and  gave 

20 


306  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

early  promise  of  great  distinction  in  the  service  of  his 
adopted  country.  A  large  portion  of  his  company  con 
sisted  of  Germans,  and  no  happier  military  family  existed  in 
the  regiment  than  he  and  his  officers  and  men  made  of 
company  C.  A  man  of  noble  presence  and  martial  bearing, 
he  was  the  beau  ideal  of  a  soldier.  He  was  kind  to  his 
men,  courteous  and  dignified  at  all  times,  an  excellent  dis 
ciplinarian,  of  spotless  character  and  refined  culture,  and  in 
the  broadest  and  fullest  sense,  a  soldier  "without  fear  and 
without  reproach."  He  was  as  graceful  and  attractive  as 
he  was  manly  and  dignified;  possessing  unbending  integrity, 
and  strict  conscientiousness,  and  the  highest  sense  of  honor, 
he  was  the  very  personation  of  true  chivalry,  and  of  the 
highest  type  of  manhood.  The  n6th  never  had  a  truer 
gentleman,  a  finer  officer,  or  a  braver  man,  and  never  met 
a  more  serious  loss  than  in  his  death. 

CAPTAIN  EDWIN  KEYES. 

The  following  sketch  is  taken  from  "  Marietta  College,  in  the  War  of  Secession." 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Windsor  Town 
ship,  Morgan  County,  Ohio,  July  21,  1828,  the  child  of  poor 
but  upright  Christian  parents.  At  an  early  age  he  showed 
a  studious  disposition,  and  while  young  became  a  school 
teacher  in  the  neighborhood  of  his  birth.  Compelled  to 
support  himself  by  work  on  the  farm  or  in  school,  young 
Keyes  struggled  for  more  of  an  education  than  his  home 
opportunities  afforded.  Accordingly,  in  1848,  he  became  a 
student  in  the  preparatory  department  of  Marietta  College. 
Passing  regularly  through,  in  1850  he  entered  college  a 
freshman.  Adverse  circumstances,  however,  prevented  his 
going  further  in  the  conrse  than  to  the  junior  year  of 
his  class.  April  I3th,  1854,  ne  was  married  to  Sybil 
Sargent,  by  whom  he  had  a  son,  Charles  Edwin,  now 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  307 

iving.     His  attachment  to  his  family  was  remarkably  strong 
and  deep. 

About  1860,  Mr.  Keyes  removed  to  Tuppers  Plains, 
Meigs  County,  Ohio.  This  is  a  pleasant  village,  finely  lo 
cated  on  a  plateau,  the  center  of  a  prosperous  farming  com 
munity.  The  point  was  selected  for  the  site  of  a  school  he 
wished  to  establish.  Teaching  wras  then  his  chosen  voca 
tion.  Devoted  to  his  work,  arid  a  natural  leader  among 
men,  he  so  aroused  the  people  of  this  village  and  vicinity 
in  the  cause  of  education,  as  to  secure  the  erection  of  an 
academy  building,  wherein  he  founded  a  flourishing  school 
known  as  the  Tuppers  Plains  Seminary.  Young  men  and 
women  from  a  distance,  as  \vell  as  of  the  country  immedi 
ately  around  the  Plains,  were  attracted  to  this  school  by  the 
success  and  growing  fame  of  the  teacher,  and  by  the  high 
character  he  bore  as  a  man.  The  specific  aim  of  the  insti 
tution  was  to  train  its  pupils  for  teaching,  and  prepare 
young  men  for  college.  The  close  of  the  first  year  showred 
the  enterprise  triumphantly  successful.  Even  the  excite 
ments  and  anxieties  of  civil  war  did  not  prevent  a  steady  in 
crease  in  the  attedance  upon  the  school,  and  of  interest  in 
the  work  it  was  doing.  Truly,  a  master  was  at  its  head. 
The  summer  of  1862  came,  with  its  disasters  to  the  Union 
armies  in  the  terrible  conflict  with  rebellion.  Still  the 
school  on  the  Plains  was  full.  A  large  number  of  young 
people  was  gathered  there,  enthusiastic  in  study,  under  the 
inspiring  direction  of  a  teacher  they  had  learned  both  to 
love  and  respect.  But  the  appeals  of  that  dark  year  to 
Northern  patriotism  rang  in  the  ears  of  the  master,  and  met 
a  warm  response  from  his  heart.  At  this  time  Mr.  Keyes 
was  in  the  clear  road  of  assured  success  in  his  profession. 
The  field  for  a  great  and  good  work  was  open  in  peace 
before  him.  Moreover,  he  was  bound  to  home  by  ties 
which,  with  a  nature  such  as  his,  were  at  once  among  the 


308  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

tenderest  and  most  powerful  in  life.  But  he  was  a  patriot 
who  loves  liberty  and  the  Union  of  his  fathers,  and  to 
whom  the  trumpet  call  of  duty  never  was  sounded  in  vain. 
Around  him,  also,  was  a  body  of  young  men  who  would 
follow  him  as  their  leader  to  the  field  of  battle,  or  remain 
under  his  guidance  in  the  pursuit  of  knowledge  at  home. 
The  struggle,  the  writer  knows,  was  exceedingly  severe. 
But  a  clear  sense  of  duty — the  vital  principle  of  all  his  ac 
tions — was,  as  it  ever  had  been  with  him,  decisive;  and 
August  1 2th,  1862,  he  accepted,  after  enlistment,  a  Cap 
tain's  commission  in  the  volunteer  service  of  the  United 
States  for  "three  years,  or  during  the  war."  The  young 
men  of  his  school  rallied  around  him  in  the  country's  ser 
vice,  almost  to  a  man.  Such  was  his  influence,  indeed,  and 
so  profound  the  confidence  which  his  abilities  and  character 
inspired,  that  in  less  than  one  week  from  his  appointment, 
he  was  in  camp  at  Marietta,  Ohio,  followed  by  a  dozen 
more  men  than  could  be  mustered  into  his  company. 

His  became  company  B  of  the  n6th  O.  V.  I.  While 
Captain  Keyes  remained  with  his  men,  they  served  chiefly 
in  West  Virginia  and  in  the  war-famed  Valley  of  Virginia. 
He  participated  in  all  the  important  battles  of  this  valley, 
from  the  opening  of  1863  until  he  was  made  a  prisoner  of 
war.  On  the  i8th  of  June,  1864,  near  Lynchburg,  Va., 
with  his  men,  he  was  engaged  in  a  desperate  and  bloody 
charge  upon  the  enemy's  works.  While  leading  his  com 
mand  amid  a  storm  of  bullets,  he  was  hit  and  severely 
wounded  in  the  knee.  Our  forces  being  driven  back,  one 
of  his  men  was  helping  him  along  when  another  shot  was 
received  in  the  arm,  inflicting  a  painful  wound.  Unable 
further  to  proceed,  he  was  unavoidably  left,  with  others  dis 
abled  by  wounds,  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  To 
the  last,  however,  he  was  undismayed,  and  showed  the  res 
ignation  of  the  Christian  with  the  fortitude  of  a  soldier. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  309 

Finally,  July  ipth,  1864,  in  hospital  at  Lynchburg,  Va.,  of 
the  wounds  received  as  stated  above,  he  died.  He  faced 
the  last  enemy  surrounded  by  strangers  and  in  prison. 
Before  his  death,  Marietta  College  had  conferred  upon  him 
the  honorary  degree  of  Master  of  Arts. 

Captain  Keves  stood  full  six  feet,  with  a  well  propor 
tioned  frame,  and  a  presence  which  always  commanded  re 
spect.  He  was  a  man  of  refined  sensibilities  and  feelings  of 
child-like  tenderness.  His  life  was  pure,  blameless,  of  ex 
alted  aim  and  purpose.  He  was  possessed  of  a  vigorous 
mind,  well  disciplined,  and  marked  by  a  peculiarly  sound 
and  comprehensive  understanding.  As  a  teacher  he  greatly 
excelled;  and  as  a  soldier  he  leaves  a  proud  record  for  per 
sonal  bravery,  and  the  able,  prompt  discharge  of  every 
duty  which  the  service  cast  upon  him.  But  the  crowning- 
glory  of  his  character  was  his  moral  symmetry  and  power. 
In  the  regiment  his  \vas  styled  the  4fc  religious  company." 
Twice  a  day,  when  circumstances  permitted,  he  led  his  men 
in  prayer,  and  in  one  instance,  it  is  known,  these  services  re 
sulted  in  a  soldier's  conversion.  A  few  words  from  a  letter 
to  his  father,  in  January,  1863,  give  an  insight  into  the  real 
life  of  the  man,  which  justifies  their  insertion  here.  Thus 
he  wrote:  "I  meet  \vith  the  sorest  trials  and  endure  the 
keenest  temptations.  But  through  all  these  my  Savior  sus 
tains  me.  Indeed,  I  feel  while  leaning  on  His  powerful  arm 
that  nothing  can  harm  me.  These  are  my  feelings  in 
scenes  of  danger.  *  *  *  1  know  not  but  sorer  trials 
are  in  store  for  me.  My  country  may  demand  the  poor 
offering  of  my  life,  and  my  dear  wife  and  darling  boy  be 
left  without  their  earthly  stay  and  support.  But  if  the  bit 
ter  cup  must  be  drained,  trusting  in  my  Savior,  I  hope  to 
be  sustained  as  life  is  laid  upon  the  altar." 

Heroic  Christian  soldier!  You  drank  this  cup  to  the 
dregs.  No  life  more  sublimely  pure  and  noble  in  purpose 


3IO  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

and  work  was  given,  a  sacrifice  for  the  Nation's  life,  in  the 
war  against  rebellion.  Of  all  who  thus  fell  we  can  truly 
say : 

Beautiful  is  the  death-sleep 
Of  those  who  bravely  fight 
In  their  country's  holy  quarrel, 
And  perish  for  the  right. 

LIEUTENANT  ROBERT  WILSON. 

While  lying  at  Buchanan,  Lieutenant  Robert  Wilson 
wras  stricken  down  with  fever.  Realizing  that  he  was  dan 
gerously  sick,  he  asked  and  obtained  leave  to  go  to  his 
home  in  Woodsfield,  where  he  died  on  the  ipth  of  Novem 
ber,  1862.  The  regiment  had  scarcely  become  acquainted 
with  him,  but  among  those  with  whom  he  came  in  contact, 
he  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  officers  in  the  regiment. 
He  was  a  well  educated  man,  and  when  Colonel  Washburn 
detached  Adjutant  Ballard  to  act  as  A.  A.  General  of  the 
brigade,  he  was  selected  to  act  as  Adjutant  of  the  regiment. 
He  was  then  sick  and  never  assumed  the  position.  He 
gave  bright  promise  of  making  an  efficient  and  valuable 
officer.  His  was  among  the  first  deaths,  if  it  was  not  the 
very  first,  in  the  regiment,  and  being  so  good  an  officer  and 
excellent  a  man,  his  loss  was  greatly  felt,  and  the  sorrow  at 
his  death  was  deep  and  universal. 

LIEUTENANT  LEVI  LUPTON. 

Lieutenant  Lupton,  as  before  shown,  was  captured  on 
the  1 4th  of  June,  1863,  at  Winchester.  He,  too,  was  a  brave 
and  efficient  officer  and  an  excellent  man.  His  capture  was 
due  to  his  unflinching  courage  and  his  aversion  to  turning 
his  back  to  the  enemy.  He  never  had  any  conception  of 
what  fear  \vas.  He  suffered  the  untold  horrors  of  Libby, 
Salisbury  and  Charleston.  At  the  latter  place  he  was 
among  the  Union  officers  placed  under  the  fire  of  the  forts 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  31! 

and  gunboats  in  the  bombardment  of  that  hot-bed  of  trea 
son.  He  endured  untold  hardships,  privations  and  dangers. 
The  officers  of  our  regiment  sent  him,  and  others  of  the 
regiment  who  were  prisoners,  a  great  amount  of  everything 
for  their  relief,  but  \ve  have  the  best  reasons  for  believing 
that  they  never  received  a  tithe  of  it.  Among  papers  in 
my  possession  I  find  a  subscription  paper  prepared  at  Mar- 
tinsburg  in  the  winter  of  1863-4,  which  reads  as  follows: 
"  We,  the  undersigned  officers,  promise  to  pay  the  §ums  set 
opposite  our  respective  names  for  the  relief  of  Lieutenants 
Lupton,  Sibley,  Knowles  and  Manning,  of  the  n6th  regi 
ment,  now  in  Prison  at  Richmond,  Virginia,  said  money  to 
be  sent  to  them  through  C-.  C.  Fulton,  Esq.,  of  the  Balti 
more  American."  To  this  paper  is  subscribed,  in  the  ag 
gregate,  $130.  It  is  in  the  hand  writing  of  Captain  Karr, 
and  its  possession  affords  me  the  signature  of  all  the  officers 
of  the  regiment  present.  A  great  many  well  filled  boxes 
were  also  sent  them.  Among  letters  I  find  brief  acknowl 
edgements  from  Lieutenant  Sibley,  dated  "Libby  Prison, 
Richmond,  Va." 

Lieutenant  Lupton  was  a  zealous  patriot.  It  was  pa 
triotism  made  a  soldier  of  him,  not  a  love  for  military  life. 
But  nothing  could  excel  the  conscientiousness  with  which 
he  discharged  every  duty  assigned  him.  He  was  in  down 
right  earnest  always,  and  never  took  part  in  the  fun  or 
frolic  of  camp  life.  But  though  of  so  serious  a  turn  of 
mind,  he  was  never  morose  or  gloomy,  but  wras  very  kind- 
hearted,  obliging  and  thoughtful  to  every  want  and  comfort 
of  his  men.  As  a  result,  he  was  well  liked  and  held  in 
very  high  esteem  by  officers  and  men  alike.  At  Charles 
ton,  in  the  fall  of  1864,  he  was  taken  down  with  fever  and 
died  September  12.  He  was  buried  in  Race  Course  Cem 
etery,  near  the  City  of  Charleston.  Every  effort  was  made 
by  the  officers  of  the  regiment  to  secure  the  exchange  of 
the  officers  captured  at  Winchester  and  Bunker  Hill,  but  all 


312  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

efforts  were  in  vain.  The  rebel  authorities  seemed  to  have 
a  special  pique  at  General  Milroy's  officers.  This  spirit 
of  hate  for  them  is  shown  in  all  rebel  works,  and  especially 
in  Jeff  Davis'  «  Rise  and  Fall." 

SURGEON  THOMAS  J.  SHANNON. 

Among  our  killed  at  Cedar  Creek  was  our  Surgeon, 
Major  Thomas  J.  Shannon.  Of  the  manner  of  his  death, 
Captain  John  F.  Welch,  of  the  n6th,  then  on  Thoburn's 
staff,  writes:  "When  I  had  reached  Middle  town  with  the 
trains,  I  found  Thoburn  there  and  reported  to  him.  Dr. 
Shannon,  Surgeon  of  the  n6th,  and  Medical  Purveyor  of 
the  division,  was  with  him.  Dr.  Shannon  had  charge  of 
several  wagon  loads  of  medical  stores.  Thoburn  ordered 
Dr.  Shannon  and  myself  to  go  beyond  Middletown  with 
our  wagons,  and  there  try  to  form  a  line  of  the  straggling 
soldiers,  which  by  this  time  were  numerous.  Shannon's 
wagons  were  on  the  pike  leading  to  Winchester,  and  mine 
on  a  street  west  of  the  pike.  I  was  to  drive  my  teams  to 
the  pike  and  get  them  together.  While  I  was  after  my 
wagons,  and  before  I  got  back  to  the  pike,  and  when  not 
over  two  or  three  hundred  yards  from  it,  Thoburn  and 
Shannon  were  both  shot  and  mortally  wounded.  They 
were  shot  by  sharpshooters  who  had  succeeded  in  getting 
within  our  lines.  As  I  neared  the  pike  several  shots  were 
fired  at  me,  two  of  them  striking  my  horse."  Thoburn  lin 
gered  during  the  day  and  died  that  evening.  Dr.  Shannon 
died  at  Winchester  on  the  2ist.  Dr.  Shannon  was  one  of 
the  most  skillful,  pains-taking,  hard-working  and  faithful 
surgeons  in  the  army.  He  never  had  a  thought  of  anything 
but  duty,  which  he  discharged  with  a  zeal  and  fidelity  that 
made  him  not  only  trusted  and  esteemed,  but  remarkably 
successful  and  valuable.  He  was  too  good  a  surgeon 
among  the  great  number  of  indifferent  ones  in  the  service, 
to  be  kept  with  his  regiment.  His  services  were  in  con- 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  313 

stant  demand  in  wider  lields  of  labor.  But  he  was  a 
worker,  and  being  fond  of  his  regiment,  he  found  time  to 
look  after  it  daily.  His  loss  to  our  regiment  and  to  the  ser 
vice  was  irreparable.  Me  was  withal  an  exceedingly  brave 
and  fearless  man,  and  too  often  exposed  himself  to  the  perils 
of  the  battle  field  in  his  anxious  care  for  the  wounded.  He 
could  easily  have  escaped  harm  the  morning  he  was  shot, 
but  in  his  charge  was  a  train  loaded  with  several  thousands 
of  dollars  worth  of  medical  stores,  and  to  save  it  he  exposed 
his  own  life,  and  gave  it  up  a  sacrifice  to  dutv  and  to  prin 
ciple.  Dr.  Shannon's  sense  of  honor  was  sensitively  acute, 
and  \vhile  he  was  often  hurt  by  adverse  criticisms  of  his 
severe  treatment  of  "  hospital  bummers,"  he  was  as  kind  as 
a  mother  to  the  really  sick  and  wounded.  The  regiment 
owed  its  good  standing  and  effectiveness  as  much  to  him  as 
to  any  officer  connected  with  it.  He  held  a  "dead  beat" 
in  the  greatest  aversion,  but  attended  upon  a  good  soldier 
with  the  greatest  pleasure  and  most  assiduous  care.  He 
was  a  quiet,  still,  unpretending,  plain  man,  but  he  possessed 
the  courage,  dignity,  faith  and  manliness  which  devotion  to 
principle,  a  conscientious  discharge  of  life's  duties,  and  an 
unfaltering  purpose  to  do  right,  lend  to  character.  His  re 
mains  were  sent  to  his  home,  accompanied  by  an  escort  in 
charge  of  Lieutenant  Cobb,  who  was  slightly  wounded  in 
the  battle.  But  the  greatest  disaster  to  us  all  was  the  loss 
of  Colonel  Thoburn. 

CAPTAIN  ALEXANDER  COCI1RAN. 

Captain  Alexander  Cochran  was  born  in  Bridgeton, 
Bucks  County,  Pennsylvania,  in  1818.  Both  of  his  parents 
died  when  he  was  a  mere  child,  and  leaving  no  property  for 
his  support,  he  was  at  once  thrown  upon  the  world  to  make 
his  own  way  through  it,  and  to  carve  out  his  own  fortune. 
When  a  boy  he  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade,  which  he  fol 
lowed  with  few  interruptions  ever  afterwards,  and  through 


314  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

industry  and  good  management  he  acquired  considerable 
property.  He  was  married  in  Bridgeton  in  1840  to  Miss 
Rebecca  Butler,  with  whom  he  had  five  children,  all  of 
whom  died  in  childhood,  except  Sarah  "Jane,  the  wife  of 
Prof.  George  E.  Blair.  His  first  wife  died  in  1850,  and  in 
1853  he  was  married  to  Miss  Emma  Robeson,  who  sur 
vives  him.  Of  this  union  he  had  seven  children,  five  of 
whom  are  still  living.  Captain  Cochran  removed  from 
Bridgeton,  Pennsylvania,  to  Athens  in  1853,  where  he  re 
sided  up  to  his  death,  April  25th,  1872.  In  the  fall  of  1862 
he  entered  the  service  of  the  United  States  and  was  ap 
pointed  First  Lieutenant  of  Company  I,  n6th  Regiment 
Ohio  Volunteers.  He  served  in  this  capacity  until  January 
3ist,  1863,  when  he  was  promoted  to  Captain.  During 
nearly  all  the  time  of  his  Lieutenancy,  he  acted  as  Quarter 
master  of  his  regiment,  and  no  more  faithful  or  competent 
officer  ever  held  that  position  in  the  n6th,  and  no  Quarter 
master  was  ever  more  popular  with  men  and  officers,  be 
cause  none  were  more  efficient.  At  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill,  on  the  i3th  of  June,  1863,  Captain  Cochran  was 
wounded  in  the  elbow  of  the  right  arm  and  taken  prisoner. 
As  he  was  unfit  to  be  moved,  he  was  left  there,  and  had  the 
good  fortune  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  a  noble  hostess  and 
fraternal  brother  by  name  of  John  B.  T.  Reed,  who,  as  soon 
as  the  Captain  could  be  moved,  pointed  out  a  way  of  escape 
for  him  and  sent  him  within  the  Union  lines.  In  the  fall  of 
1863  ne  returned  to  his  company  \vith  his  arm  in  a  sling 
and  reported  for  duty.  The  Surgeon,  however,  pronounced 
him  unfit  for  active  duty,  and  he  was  ordered  to  Concord, 
New  Hampshire,  on  recruiting  duty,  where  he  remained 
until  he  resigned,  February  pth,  1865.  Captain  Cochran 
was  a  brave  man,  and  upon  the  field  of  battle  was  cool  and 
collected  as  when  moving  among  his  friends  and  business 
acquaintances  at  home.  As  Regimental  Quartermaster  the 
men  had  in  him  a  true  friend,  as  their  wants  were  never  ne- 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  315 

glected  when  it  was  possible  to  supply  them.  His  kind 
heart  would  not  suffer  him  to  retire  at  night  until  he  knew 
that  everything  was  done  that  could  be  done  for  the  com 
fort  of  his  men. 

CAPTAIN  EDWARD  FULLER. 

Edward  Fuller,  late  Captain  Company  I,  n6th  Regi 
ment  O.  V.  I.,  was  born  April  12,  1832,  near  Coolville, 
Athens  County,  Ohio.  He  was  the  son  of  Jedediah  Fuller, 
\vho  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Athens  County.  He 
opened  up  a  large  farm  and  was  during  his  lifetime  one  of 
the  leading  farmers  of  Athens  County.  He  gave  his  chil 
dren  a  liberal  education.  Edward,  while  not  in  school,  spent 
his  time  on  the  farm,  which  finally  fell  into  his  possession. 
He  was  widely  known,  and  was  noted  for  his  generosity. 
He  was  a  strong  Republican,  and  at  the  breaking  out  of 
the  war,  his  time,  money  and  services  were  at  the  service 
of  his  country.  He  was  largely  instrumental  in  raising  vol 
unteers,  and  finally  took  a  company  and  went  into  the 
n6th  regiment  as  Captain;  was  assigned  to  company  "I." 
The  hardships  and  severe  weather  of  the  winter  of  1862-3 
preyed  heavily  upon  his  health,  so  much  so  that  he  was 
compelled  to  resign  his  position  in  the  army  and  seek  for 
restoration  of  health,  which  he  never  found.  He  gradually 
went  down  until  April  loth,  1872,  when  he  died.  Captain 
Fuller  possessed  a  magnetism  which  drew  around  him  a 
large  circle  of  friends  and  his  death  made  a  vacuum  which 
has  not  been  filled. 

There  were  only  fifteen  days  between  the  deaths  of 
Fuller  and  Cochran.  Both  were  buried  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Masonic  Order. 

CAPTAIN  WILLIAM  MYERS. 

Captain  William  Myers  was  born  in  Monongahala 
County,  Virginia,  June  14,  1809,  and  moved  with  his  par- 


3l6  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

ents  to  Monroe  County,  Ohio,  in  1822,  where  he  was  mar 
ried,  in  1832,  to  Miss  Hannah  Mitchell.  He  engaged  in 
farming,  and  took  great  interest  in  stock  raising.  He 
brought  the  first  herd  of  short  horn  Durhams  into  Monroe 
County.  He  was  a  man  of  sterling  integrity,  and  by  his 
conscientious,  upright  life,  won  the  confidence  of  all  who 
knew  him,  as  was  shown  by  his  being  chosen  to  serve  as 
justice  of  the  peace  for  some  eighteen  or  twenty  years,  and 
being  twice  elected  treasurer  of  his  county.  When  Fort 
Sumter  was  fired  upon  and  the  permanency  of  our  Govern 
ment  was  threatened,  he  with  others  felt  called  upon  to  do 
all  within  his  power  to  put  down  the  rebellion  that  had  so 
defiantly  reared  its  head,  and  as  one  call  after  another  was 
made  for  troops  he  aided  and  encouraged  enlistments  among 
the  younger  men  around  him.  But  when  Governor  Tod 
issued  his  call,  July  9th,  1862,  for  two  full  regiments  from 
his  district,  he  felt  that  the  time  had  come  for  ///;//  to  go 
forth,  and  bidding  adieu  to  home  and  friends,  and  having 
received  a  recruiting  commission  from  Governor  Tod,  he 
called  upon  his  neighbors  to  "come."  So  successful  was 
he,  that  in  about  one  week  his  company  was  ready  to  go 
into  camp.  As  an  officer,  Captain  Myers  had  everything  to 
learn,  but  he  applied  himself  diligently  to  the  task  and  soon 
became  quite  proficient  in  the  art  of  war,  remarkably  so 
considering  the  peaceful  surroundings  of  his  former  life. 
He  was  prompt  in  the  performance  of  every  known  duty, 
and  though  one  of  the  oldest  men  in  the  command,  endured 
unflinchingly  the  weary  marches  and  exposures  of  soldier 
life.  His  life  in  the  army,  as  at  home,  was  without  blame; 
he  governed  his  men  by  love  rather  than  by  virtue  of  his 
office.  But  he  had  arrived  at  the  time  of  life  when  so 
much  exposure  could  not  fail  to  have  a  damaging  effect 
upon  his  health,  and  in  September,  1864,  he  resigned  his 
commission  on  account  of  failing  health,  and  returned  home 
carrying  with  him  the  respect  and  best  wishes  of  the  entire 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  317 

regiment.  In  October,  1865,  he  removed  from  Ohio  to 
Polk  County,  Missouri,  where  he  died  December  loth, 
1878,  at  the  advanced  age  of  69  years. 


SURGEON  WALTER  R.  GILKEY. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch,  Dr.  Walter  R.  Gilkey,  en 
tered  the  service  early  in  1862  and  was  commissioned  ex 
amining  surgeon  for  Ashtabula  County,  being  assigned  Sur 
geon  to  the  n6th  regiment  in  September  following.  While 
holding  the  position  of  examining  surgeon  he  performed  the 
difficult  duties  of  that  important  office  conscientiously  and 
fearlessly.  His  duties  in  the  field,  camp  and  hospital  were 
never  slighted  or  neglected.  Cultured,  genial  and  courte 
ous,  Surgeon  Gilkey  occupied  a  warm  place  in  the  hearts 
of  his  comrades.  He  contracted  rheumatism  in  the  spring 
of  1863,  while  the  regiment  was  in  Western  Virginia,  which 
terminated  in  typhus  fever,  his  death  occurring  on  the  4th 
of  June  of  the  same  year  at  Winchester,  Virginia.  His  re 
mains  were  conveyed  home  by  a  loving  wife  and  brother, 
E.  H.  Gilkey,  and  laid  to  rest  in  Kinsman. 

Surgeon  Gilkey  was  born  in  Trumbull  County,  Ohio,  in 
1827.  His  early  education  was  confined  to  the  narrow 
limits  of  the  common  schools  of  those  days.  After  acquir 
ing  his  majority  he  took  up  the  study  of  medicine,  teaching 
in  winter  and  studying  in  summer,  filling  in  the  vacations 
by  working  in  the  harvest  fields.  In  1854,  he  entered  the 
office  of  Drs.  Peter  and  Dudley  Allan,  of  Kinsman,  Ohio, 
where  he  remained  four  years  with  alternate  courses  of 
study  at  the  Cleveland  Medical  College,  where  he  gradu 
ated  in  1858  and  soon  after  commenced  the  practice  of  med 
icine.  He  was  married,  in  1859,  to  Miss  Kate  Frame,  of 
Poland,  Ohio,  locating  at  Jefferson,  the  county  seat  of  Ash- 
tabula  County,  where  he  was  at  the  breaking  out  of  the 
civil  war.  Dr.  Gilkey  was  an  untiring  student  and  deep 
thinker.  Seeking  a  high  place  in  the  medical  profession, 


3l8  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

he  soon  occupied  an  enviable  position  among   his  brother 
physicians. 

DR.  JAMES  T.  MORAN. 

James  T.  Moran  was  born  in  Leitrim  County,  Ireland, 
August  26th,  1831.  He  lived  with  his  parents,  who  gave 
him  a  good  education,  until  the  age  of  20,  when  he  came  to 
this  country.  He  engaged  as  a  clerk  in  a  dry  goods  store 
for  a  time,  and  afterwards  held  a  position  in  the  auditor's 
office  of  Trumbull  County,  Ohio.  In  1856  he  began  the 
study  of  medicine  at  Williamsfield,  Ashtabula  County,  Ohio, 
and  in  1859  attended  Burlington  Medical  College  in  Vrer- 
mont.  Returning  to  Williamsfield  in  1860,  he  entered  upon 
the  practice  of  his  profession,  which  he  continued  till  the 
time  of  his  enlistment  in  the  n6th  O.  V.  I. 

We  will  venture  the  assertion  that  no  regiment  in  the 
service  was  blessed  with  a  better,  more  competent,  faithful 
and  kind  hospital  steward  than  was  the  n6th  O.  V.  I.  He 
was  neat  and  careful  in  the  preparation  of  all  prescriptions, 
and  as  tender  and  kind  in  his  treatment  of  patients  as  a 
woman.  Conscientious  in  a  high  degree,  the  charge  of 
misappropriation  of  hospital  stores,  so  common  at  that  time 
among  different  commands,  \vas  never  uttered  against  him. 
As  one  after  another  of  our  surgeons  or  assistant  surgeons 
resigned  or  was  taken  away  by  disease  or  death,  it  was 
confidently  expected  that  Dr.  Moran  would  be  appointed  to 
fill  the  vacancy,  but  there  were  so  many  brave,  patriotic 
citizens  of  Ohio  at  home  desirous  of  showing  their  love  to 
their  country  by  serving  her  in  positions  where  they  could 
draw  handsome  salaries  and  be  out  of  the  way  of  danger, 
that  no  sooner  was  a  position  made  vacant  than  scores  of 
these  high  priced  patriots  (?)  stood  ready  to  urge  their 
claims  to  the  appointment,  so  that  the  true  patriot,  who  had 
responded  to  the  call  of  his  country  and  was  serving  faith 
fully  in  the  field,  receiving  almost  nothing  for  his  valuable 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  319 

services,  was  overlooked,  ignored.  It  was  not  till  February 
1 5th,  1865,  that  justice  was  done  to  Dr.  Moran,  his  claims 
to  promotion  were  recognized  and  he  was  appointed  to  fill 
the  place  of  assistant  surgeon  of  the  regiment,  then  vacant; 
but  it  was  then  too  late.  The  regiment  had  sustained  such 
heavy  losses  during  the  campaign  of  1864  that  it  was  no 
longer  entitled  to  a  full  corps  of  surgeons,  and  James  T. 
Moran,  after  having  served  faithfully  his  country  for  three 
years,  much  of  the  time  doing  double  duty  as  hospital  stew 
ard  and  assistant  surgeon  of  the  regiment,  was  mustered 
out  of  the  service  as  Hospital  Steward  of  the  n6th  O.  V.  I. 
He  resumed  the  practice  of  medicine  in  Ashtabula  County, 
Ohio,  where  he  continued  till  the  time  of  his  death,  July 
nth,  1882.  He  left  a  wife  and  five  children  to  mourn  his 
death. 

MAJOR  MILTON  A.  ELLIS. 

At  6:30  p.  M.,  Friday,  November  9,  1883,  in  his  43d 
year,  Major  Milton  A.  Ellis  died  quite  suddenly  at  the 
home  of  his  parents  in  Racine,  Ohio,  of  heart  disease,  from 
which  he  had  been  suffering  for  over  a  year.  He  was  ap 
parently  in  good  health  an  hour  before  his  death.  Major 
Ellis  was  well  known  in  Meigs  County  as  a  man  of  gener 
ous  impulses  and  unusually  fine  business  qualifications.  In 
1862  he  enlisted  in  the  n6th  O.  V.  I.,  where  he  was  suc 
cessively  made  Orderly  Sergeant,  Sergeant  Major  and  Sec 
ond  Lieutenant  of  company  F.  He  was  then  promoted  to 
a  First  Lieutenantcy  and  assigned  to  General  Sheridan's 
staff  as  chief  of  his  signal  corps,  which  position  he  filled 
with  much  ability  until  the  close  of  the  war,  when  he  was 
brevetted  Major.  His  superior  officers  speak  only  in  terms 
of  praise  of  his  military  record.  He  was  brave,  earnest,  re 
liable,  and  never  grumbled.  His  superior  social  gifts  won 
him  the  friendship  of  many  of  the  high  officers  of  the  army. 
After  the  war  he  became  an  agent  for  the  Charter  Oak 


I 

32O  ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I. 

Life  Insurance  Company.  He  subsequently  connected  him 
self  with  the  business  of  W.  A.  Ellis  &  Co.,  at  Racine, 
where  he  continued  until  disease  incapacitated  him  for  work. 
His  remains  were  interred  with  Masonic  honors  at  Letart, 
Ohio. 

MAJOR  JOHN  HULL. 

Major  John  Hull  was  born  May  I2th,  1814,  in  the 
State  of  Connecticut.  His  parents  moved  to  Ohio  when  he 
was  about  six  years  of  age,  and  settled  near  Cincinnati. 
His  father  died  in  1822,  and  soon  after  his  mother  moved 
to  the  vicinity  of  Nelsonville,  in  Athens  County,  where  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  continued  to  reside  till  his  death.  At 
an  early  age  he  began  to  learn  the  trade  of  shoemakirig, 
but  afterwards  served  an  apprenticeship  to  the  trade  of 
house  carpenter  and  became  a  competent  and  skillful  \vork- 
man.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion  his  impulse  was  to 
join  the  ranks  of  those  who  took  up  arms  to  maintain  the 
integrity  of  the  Government,  but  was  restrained  by  the  care 
of  a  large  family  dependent  upon  him.  In  the  summer  of 
1862,  however,  he  received  authority  to  recruit  a  company 
for  the  n6th  regiment  O.  V".  I.,  and  \vas  subsequently 
chosen  Captain.  He  participated  in  every  campaign  the 
regiment  made,  was  in  every  battle  in  which  it  was  en 
gaged,  and  could  always  be  found  at  his  post  of  duty.  At 
the  battle  of  Piedmont,  Virginia,  June  5th,  1864,  he  re 
ceived  an  injury  from  the  concussion  of  a  shell  that  after 
wards  resulted  in  the  loss  of  his  left  eye.  During  the  win 
ter  of  1863-4,  while  the  regiment  was  doing  guard  duty 
along  the  B.  &  O.  Railroad,  Captain  Hull  was  stationed 
with  his  company  at  Back  Creek.  While  here  his  skill  as 
a  mechanic  was  called  into  requisition  in  the  construction  of 
a  block-house  to  be  used  in  defense  of  that  point.  His  oft- 
repeated  assertion  that  he  was  a  "good  carpenter"  was 
fully  verified  in  the  manner  in  which  this  work  was  done. 


ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTEENTH    O.  V.  I.  321 

February  26th,  1865,  he  was  commissioned  Major  of  his 
regiment,  but  owing  to  the  death  of  a  member  of  his  family 
and  his  inability  to  secure  a  leave  of  absence,  he  resigned, 
and  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  as  Captain  of  his  com 
pany.  Returning  home,  he  resumed  his  former  calling. 
He  died  August  i5th,  1883,  respected  by  all  for  his  hon 
esty,  integrity  and  many  other  good  qualities.  As  a  soldier 
he  was  brave  and  prompt  in  the  discharge  of  every  duty. 


322 


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Taken  prisoner  at  Winchester,  Va.,  June  15,  1863;  exchanged  and  returned  to  regi 
ment  November  5,  1863. 

Captured  at  Winchester,  Va.,  June  14,  1863;  confined  in  Libby  Prison;  exchanged  and 
returned  to  regiment,  November  2,  1863. 
Captured  at  Winchester,  Va.,  June  15,  1863;  confined  in  Libby  Prison;  exchanged  and 
returned  to  regiment,  November  5,  1863. 

Wounded  in  the  arm  at  Winchester,  Va.,  June  14,  1863. 

Captured  at  Winchester,  Va.,  June  14,  1863;  confined  in  Libby  Prison;  exchanged  and 
returned  to  regiment,  November  11,  1863. 
Wounded  and  taken  prisoner  at  Winchester,  Va.,  June  14,  1863;  confined  in  Libby 
Prison  ;  exchanged  and  returned  to  regiment,  November  2,  1863. 
Taken  prisoner  at  Winchester,  Va.,  June  15,  1863;  confined  in  Libby  Prison;  exchanged 
October  2,  1863. 

Captured  at  Winchester,  Va.,  June  14,  1863;  confined  in  Libby  Prison;  exchanged  and 
returned  to  regiment,  November  5,  1863. 

Wounded  in  right  shoulder  and  captured  at  Winchester,  Va.,  June  14,  1863;  exchanged 
and  returned  to  regiment,  November  2,  1863;  was  confined  in  Libby  Prison. 
Captured  at  Winchester,  Va.,  June  14,  1863;  confined  in  Libby  Prison;  exchanged  and 
returned  to  regiment,  December  11,  1863. 

Was  wounded  in  leg  and  prisoner  at  Piedmont,  Va  ,  June  5,  1864  ;  confined  in  prisons  at 
Andersonville,  Ga  ,  and  Florence,  S.  C.,  from  June  5,  1864,  till  February  24,  1865. 

3SENT  TO  BE  MUSTERED  OUT. 

Wounded  at  Piedmont,  Va.,  June  5,  1864;  in  hospital  at  Gallipolis,  O.,  since  June  15,  1864. 
Wounded  in  leg  at  Piedmont,  Va.,  June  5,  1864;  taken  prisoner,  exchanged  and  in  hos 
pital  at  Annapolis,  M>».,  since  November  25,  1864;  was  Corporal  till  June  15,  1863. 
Wounded  in  hip  at  Piedmont,  Va.,  June  5,  1864;  at  Halltown  in  thigh,  August  26,  1864; 
at  Hatchet's  Run  in  foot,  March  31,  1865;  in  Hospital  at  Fortress  Monroe  since  April 
1,  1865;  was  private  till  December  12,  1862. 

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r,  1863. 
Winchester,  June  15,  1863;  exchanged  and  rejoined  Company,  Nov. 
d  April  4  1865,  on  account  of  wound  received  at  Snicker's  Ferry, 

1865,  on  account  of  wound  received  at  Cedar  Creek,  Oct.  13,  1864. 
863. 
Vinchester  Va.,  June  15,1803;  exchangee)  and  rejoined  Company, 
larged  Jan.  7,  1865,  on  account  of  wounds  received  at  Piedmont, 

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865. 
Vinchester,  Va,,  June  15,  1863;  exchanged  and  rejoined  Company, 
harged  May  8,  1865. 

inchester,  Va.,  June  15,  1863;  exchanged  and  sent  to  Harrisburg; 
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k,  Oct.  13,  1864. 
f  wounds  received  in  action  at  Piedmont,  Va.,  June  5,  1864. 
fever,  at  Cumberland,  Md. 
e5,  1864,  at  Piedmont,  Va. 
wounds  received  in  action  at  Piedmont,  Va.,  June  5,  1864. 
typhoid  fever,  at  Gallipolis  hospital,  Ohio. 
fn)  at  Lynchburg,  Va.,  of  wounds  received  at  Piedmont,  Va.,  June 

ounded  at  Piedm 
serve  Corps,  Marc 
iken  prisoner  at 
Corps,  Nov  4,  186-4 

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ounded  at  Hatcher's  Run  ;  in  hospital  at  Fortress  Monroe 

>pointed  Corporal,  October  27,  1862;  reduced  March  31,  18 
February  16,  1863  ;  paroled  February  17  ;  returned  for  du 
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special  bravery  at  Fort  Gregg, 
•ansferred  from  Company  G  to  Company  F,  September  1,  ] 
ael  Wildes;  sick  in  hospital  at  Columbus,  O. 
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•pointed  Corporal,  October  17,  1862;  reduced  June  SO,  18i 
Va.,  February  16,  1863;  never  returned. 
>pointed  Corporal,  November  1,  1862;  reduced  Decembei 
smith  in  U.  S.  Signal. 

DISCHARGED. 

scharged  at  Camp  Chase,  O.,  March  30,  1863;  captured 
1863  ;  paroled  and  sent  to  Camp  Chase,  O. 
scharged  from  hospital  at  Cumberland,  Md.,  May  30,  1863. 
scharged  from  hospital  at  Cumberland,  Md.,  April  1,  1864, 
scharged  at  Camp  Chase,  O.,  March  15,  1864;  appointed 
L862  ;  reduced  May  31,  1863  ;  captured  at  Winchester,  V 
turned  to  regiment, 
scharged  from  hospital  at  Cumberland,  Md.,  May  15,  1863 
^charged  December  21,  1863,  Camp  Chase,  O.  ;  captured 
L863  ;  returned  March  19,  1863. 
scharged  April  1,  18<?3,  Camp  Chase,  0.  ;  captured  near 
L863  ;  reported  to  camp  and  sent  to  Camp  Chase,  O. 
scharged  April  3,  1863,  Camp  Chase,  O.  ;  captured  near 
L863  ;  reported  to  camp  and  sent  to  Camp  Chase,  O,  . 
scharged  March  31,  1863,  General  Hospital,  Cumberland 
October  27,  1862  ;  reduced  to  ranks  January  31  1863. 

TRANSFERRED. 

ansferred  to  Company  H,  January  1,  1863,  order  Lieutenai 
•ansferred  to  Company  H,  January  1,  1863;  order  Lieutena 

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taken  at  Winchester,  Va.,  June  15,  1863. 

,  Va.,  June  5,  1864. 

>ek,  Va.,  October  13,  1864. 
taken  at  Winchester,  Va.,  June  15,  1863. 
war  at  Winchester,  Va.  June  15,  1863. 
Ferry,  Va.,  July  18,  1864. 
Winchester,  Va.,  June  15,  1863. 

Winchester,  Va.,  June  15,  1863. 

irlough  and  awarded  Medal  of  Honor  for  special  bravery  at  Fort 
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ar  Creek  Va.,  October  19,  1864. 

ERED  OUT. 

•isoner  at  Lynchhurg,  Va.,  June  IS,  1864. 
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per  s  Ferry  lor  desertion, 
of  wounds  received  at  Cedar  Creek,  Va.,  October  13,  1864;  (arm 

July  25,  1864. 
21,  1865. 
December  31,  1864. 

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